Close X
Saturday, September 21, 2024
ADVT 
National

Calgary Woman Diagnosed With Cancer Killed Adult Daughter With Down Syndrome

The Canadian Press, 01 Jan, 2016 02:50 PM
    CALGARY — A Calgary woman who gave a fatal dose of drugs to her 19-year-old daughter with Down syndrome can't be charged with a crime because she has since died.
     
    Police say Jessica Hagan was killed when she was given an intentional overdose by an older woman in the family's home in September.
     
    They say that woman was also found in medical distress and taken to hospital.
     
    Christine Hagan, who was 51, died on Nov. 21 of pancreatic cancer.
     
    Daniel Hagan wrote on his Tumblr social media account a week later about the deaths.
     
    He says his mother felt that she was the only one who could take care of his sister.
     
    "So she took her life and attempted to take her own," he wrote on Nov. 30.
     
    "She then spent her final days in a hospital bed with security outside her room until she became too weak and suffered from what I would assume is complete organ failure due to not eating or drinking the entire time."
     
    The body builder and personal trainer said he wanted to publicly write about what happened so he could move on with his life.
     
    "Losing my sister, my biggest fan, supporter, and greatest inspiration is a loss I know I will never truly recover from," he wrote in another post.
     
    He did not respond to a request for comment.
     
    Brian van Vliet said his sister, Christine Hagan, was diagnosed in May with stage 4 cancer and was extremely sick.
     
    "She was a wonderful person, very happy, family-oriented, very lively."
     
    He wouldn't say why he believes she killed her daughter. He said Christine Hagan had a husband at home and their son had also lived with them up until a few months before the killing.
     
    "You just have a normal family and then this series of tragic events takes place and it's just surreal," said van Vliet.
     
    He said Jessica was home-schooled and described her as a loving child.
     
    "Jessica was sunshine. She always brightened up the room," he said. "Everybody around her was always inspired by her."

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Quebec Legislators Mulling Giving Themselves Hefty Pay Hike

    Quebec Legislators Mulling Giving Themselves Hefty Pay Hike
    The proposal is essentially the result of recommendations in a report from retired Supreme Court justice Claire L'Heureux-Dube on how to improve their pay conditions.

    Quebec Legislators Mulling Giving Themselves Hefty Pay Hike

    Up To 20 Centimetres Of Snow Expected In Nova Scotia, New Brunswick

    Up To 20 Centimetres Of Snow Expected In Nova Scotia, New Brunswick
    Environment Canada has issued snowfall warnings for parts of mainland Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick.

    Up To 20 Centimetres Of Snow Expected In Nova Scotia, New Brunswick

    Wave, Area, Company All Eerily Similar In B.C. Whale-Watch Tragedies

    The survivor accounts and official reports from two deadly British Columbia whale-watching tragedies 17 years apart bear eerie similarities.

    Wave, Area, Company All Eerily Similar In B.C. Whale-Watch Tragedies

    2 Arrested In Boxing Day Fight Over Parking Spot At Mississauga Mall

    2 Arrested In Boxing Day Fight Over Parking Spot At Mississauga Mall
    Officers from Peel Regional Police responded to the mall’s parking lot shortly before 2 p.m. after receiving a call about a disturbance.

    2 Arrested In Boxing Day Fight Over Parking Spot At Mississauga Mall

    RCMP Seek Witnesses, Video Of Loader Crashes That Happened Before Christmas Day Shooting

    RCMP Seek Witnesses, Video Of Loader Crashes That Happened Before Christmas Day Shooting
    The 37-year-old man from the Red Deer area died, and Alberta's Serious Incident Response Team which investigates police shootings has taken over the investigation into his death.

    RCMP Seek Witnesses, Video Of Loader Crashes That Happened Before Christmas Day Shooting

    Suspect Shot In Alberta After RCMP Say He Stole Loader And Crashed It Into Vehicles

    Suspect Shot In Alberta After RCMP Say He Stole Loader And Crashed It Into Vehicles
    RED DEER, Alta. — RCMP in central Alberta say a suspect was shot and killed after he allegedly crashed into vehicles, including a police car, with a stolen front-end loader.

    Suspect Shot In Alberta After RCMP Say He Stole Loader And Crashed It Into Vehicles