Sask. family searching for answers after daughter’s suicide while in care

WATCH: A Saskatchewan family is looking for answers about the suicide death of their daughter. Wayne Mantyka has the story.

A Saskatchewan family is looking for answers about the death of their 18-year-old daughter Serenity Severight, who took her own life in December 2023 while in the care of Regina’s Street Culture Project.

Now, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) has accused the organization of failing the young woman and has threatened to take legal action.

Serenity’s father David Severight says to this day they are still searching for more information when it comes to what happened to their daughter.

“They bring her back in a box and they give us no answers,” he said. “We don’t know anything, and it still affects us to this day.”

The people familiar with Serenity’s case believe she had sought help before taking her life.

“It’s unfortunate that children in care have to come to this kind of conclusion to their lives when there’s supposed to be wrap around supports to help these youth,” Former Truth and Reconciliation Director Annie Ewenin said. “This youth in particular didn’t get that. They didn’t get the support they needed,” she added.

Ewenin says that it’s concerning Serenity was still taken from her home and placed into a shelter. “They didn’t get the love they needed; those wrap around supports and yet they were taken from their home and placed into a shelter.”

The FSIN also had a message directed at the organization’s leadership.

“If you are getting this message. I am sure you will resign effective immediately and let’s hit the reset button on the Street Culture Project,” Chief Bobby Cameron said. “Let’s get direct input and direction from our First Nations leaders and knowledge keepers, our kokums and mushums who will help guide the system to where it should have been in the first place.”

Support to the Severight family also came from NDP MLA Betty Nippi-Albright.

“The pain, the tragedy they you have experienced and not getting the answers is heartbreaking,” she said.

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Social Services says significant changes have been made in policy and practice, along with staff training to increase capacity for suicide prevention and intervention.

The Street Culture Project said that it takes Chief Cameron’s concerns very seriously and would like to meet with him.

“A loss of any life is tragic, especially a young person’s life that is receiving our service, and we make great efforts to provide a safe, caring, professional and culturally inclusive environment for our youth and for our staff,” the organization said in a statement.

“Any recommendations that have been made or will be made with respect to this incident will be considered and implemented.”