Father wants National Inquiry into MMIWG to consider impact on children

Zane Aguonia said his last conversation with his best friend, Cheyenne Marie Fox, was about her plans to travel back home to Manitoulin Island in northern Ontario from Toronto to visit their son.

Fox died later that same day, on the evening of April 25, 2013. 

Her body was found below a Toronto highrise, where she landed after plunging from the 24th floor.

"I was in utter shock," Aguonia said. "I didn't believe it."

Toronto Police determined there was no evidence of criminal activity in Fox's death, but Aguonia said he believes she was murdered. 

"I feel like they just kind of pushed it [case] aside because she was an Aboriginal woman," Aguonia said.

"I know she wasn't thinking suicidal thoughts or anything because we had a Facebook conversation that same day and she seemed fine."

Aguonia said Fox moved south to be closer to her father.

He said she danced jingle dress in powwows at Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve and often attended ceremonies. 

'Made every effort to see every one else around her happy'

Aguonia said he wants to tell his story at the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. 

What he said he wants most is to have a chance to talk about the impact that the disappearance and murder of Indigenous women has on children, and to see more support for those youth. 

Aguonia said his son was only three when Fox died. 

He said his son did not understand what happened at the time, but is starting to feel the impact of Fox's death now. 

"He was just like oh, where's my mom? I don't really know what to say," Aguonia said.

"He understands more about death, so I want to kind of speak about that."

Aguonia said he wants Fox to be remembered as a very caring, outgoing person who put others first. 

"She always made every effort to see every one else around her happy before she actually did anything for herself," Aguonia said.

Tune into CBC Sudbury's Morning North at 7:20 a.m. ET during the week of October 23 to hear a new series called Unresolved, about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls from northeastern Ontario. Listen live here.