Questions are being asked about exactly what happened to a woman who apparently fell to her death Wednesday from an apartment balcony in Toronto’s High Park neighbourhood.
Questions are swirling about exactly what happened to a woman who apparently fell to her death from an apartment balcony in Toronto’s High Park neighbourhood on Wednesday.
What began as a 911 call for help for Regis Korchinski-Paquet ended in her death, her family told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.
Korchinski-Paquet was an active member of her church, a talented gymnast and proud of her Ukrainian and Nova Scotian roots, her family’s lawyer Knia Singh said Thursday. But in the last five years, Singh said she began experiencing epilepsy, and the family sometimes required help from police.
Speaking outside the apartment building, Singh said Korchinski-Paquet’s mother called police around 5:15 p.m. ET to the family’s apartment at 100 High Park Ave. after a conflict that left the 29-year-old in “distress.”
“I asked the police if they could take my daughter to CAMH, and my daughter ended up dead,” said Claudette Korchinski-Beals, referring to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto.
Police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters Thursday that officers received a “frantic” call reporting an assault and were at the scene within four minutes.
They arrived on the 24th floor where they met Korchinski-Paquet, her brother and mother in the hallway. As they made their way down the hall, Singh said, “words were exchanged” between Korchinski-Paquet and police.
Korchinski-Paquet then told police she had to use the bathroom, Singh said. Police allowed her into the unit, and her brother witnessed “multiple” officers going in behind her. He tried to go in as well but was stopped from entering.
‘How can a call for assistance turn into a loss of life?’
Within a minute or two, Singh said, the family heard commotion. Then, they heard Korchinski-Paquet cry out, “Mom help. Mom help. Mom help.”
Moments later, there was silence. Police soon confirmed she was dead.
“How can a call for assistance turn into a loss of life?” Singh said.
The family’s news conference comes after video of Korchinski-Paquet’s mother and cousin emerged on social media alleging police pushed her