Close X
Sunday, November 10, 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

    Bill Cosby Charged With Sexually Assaulting Toronto Massage Therapist Andrea Constand 12 Years Ago

    Bill Cosby Charged With Sexually Assaulting Toronto Massage Therapist Andrea Constand 12 Years Ago
    The case sets the stage for perhaps the biggest Hollywood celebrity trial of the mobile-all-the-time era and could send the 78-year-old Cosby to prison in the twilight of his life.

    Bill Cosby Charged With Sexually Assaulting Toronto Massage Therapist Andrea Constand 12 Years Ago

    Manitoba Wants More Federal Money To Finance Policing For First Nations

    Manitoba's attorney general says he will be pushing for more federal money to help bolster front-line First Nations policing on remote reserves.

    Manitoba Wants More Federal Money To Finance Policing For First Nations

    Winter Storm Dumps Snow In Maritimes For Second Time In Three Days

    Winter Storm Dumps Snow In Maritimes For Second Time In Three Days
    Parts of the Maritimes are digging out for the second time in three days as a winter storm sweeps through parts of the region.

    Winter Storm Dumps Snow In Maritimes For Second Time In Three Days

    B.C. Government Reaches Settlement With Wrongfully Fired Health Workers

    Rebecca and William Warburton were among the drug-research workers who were fired in September 2012 amid allegations of inappropriate access to medical records that included possible criminal conduct.

    B.C. Government Reaches Settlement With Wrongfully Fired Health Workers

    Punjabi Man, Jaskaran Sidhu, Arrested For Allegedly Biting Air Canada Flight Attendant

    Punjabi Man, Jaskaran Sidhu, Arrested For Allegedly Biting Air Canada Flight Attendant
    47-year-old Jaskaran Sidhu who lives in Alberta, has been charged with assault and causing bodily harm. The flight returned to Toronto's Pearson International Airport after the incident.

    Punjabi Man, Jaskaran Sidhu, Arrested For Allegedly Biting Air Canada Flight Attendant

    Homes Shake, Residents Unnerved, But No Damage As Moderate Earthquake Strikes British Columbia

    Homes Shake, Residents Unnerved, But No Damage As Moderate Earthquake Strikes British Columbia
    t struck at 11:39 p.m. local time Tuesday, about 20 kilometres north of Victoria, and was felt across much of southern B.C. 

    Homes Shake, Residents Unnerved, But No Damage As Moderate Earthquake Strikes British Columbia