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

    Schedules Affected As Elderly Queen of Burnaby Ferry Taken Out Of Service For Critical Repairs

    Schedules Affected As Elderly Queen of Burnaby Ferry Taken Out Of Service For Critical Repairs
    BC Ferries is juggling some of the smaller vessels on its fleet as it makes plans to temporarily remove the aging Queen of Burnaby from the Comox-Powell River run.

    Schedules Affected As Elderly Queen of Burnaby Ferry Taken Out Of Service For Critical Repairs

    One More Hurdle Removed For B.C. Smokers Hoping To Quit In 2016

    One More Hurdle Removed For B.C. Smokers Hoping To Quit In 2016
    Health Minister Terry Lake says starting Jan. 1, anyone who wants to quit no longer needs to call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 to join the province's smoking cessation program.

    One More Hurdle Removed For B.C. Smokers Hoping To Quit In 2016

    Watch: Ottawa Bus Driver Praised For Helping Passengers Board During Snowstorm

    Watch: Ottawa Bus Driver Praised For Helping Passengers Board During Snowstorm
    OC Transpo says in a tweet the driver will be receiving an "official commendation" after his actions were captured on a video that has been viewed more than 415,000 times.

    Watch: Ottawa Bus Driver Praised For Helping Passengers Board During Snowstorm

    Debt Reduction Tops List Of Financial Priorities For 6th Straight Year: Poll

    Debt Reduction Tops List Of Financial Priorities For 6th Straight Year: Poll
    The poll found that 26 per cent of respondents named debt reduction as their key financial goal for 2016, the sixth straight year it has topped the list.

    Debt Reduction Tops List Of Financial Priorities For 6th Straight Year: Poll

    Watch: Torotno-Area Police Video Offers 'Bottom-level Luxury' Accommodations To Drunk Drivers

    The video released ahead of New Year's Eve, also touts the force's "complimentary shuttle service" — also known as a police cruiser.

    Watch: Torotno-Area Police Video Offers 'Bottom-level Luxury' Accommodations To Drunk Drivers

    Calgary Man Writes New York Times' Most Popular Comment Of All Time

    Calgary Man Writes New York Times' Most Popular Comment Of All Time
    Bob from Calgary, as he is identified on the site, received some 7,040 recommendations for his comment on a 2010 column about wealth and privilege written by Paul Krugman.

    Calgary Man Writes New York Times' Most Popular Comment Of All Time