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The 18-year-old died from a poisonous mixture of alcohol and a date-rape drug. Her mother believes she was drugged
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The B.C. Coroners Service is reopening an investigation into the 2021 loss of life of a Victoria teen who died from a poisonous mixture of alcohol and a date-rape drug.
Tracy Sims believes her daughter, 18-year-old Samantha Krysia Sims-Somerville, was drugged. She has fought for years to have the case reopened.
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Sims stated she was in shock when she acquired an e-mail from the B.C. Coroners Service informing her it might reopen an investigation into the loss of life of her daughter.
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“All that was dashing by means of my thoughts after I acquired that was: ‘Lastly somebody’s listening to me. My daughter’s loss of life does matter. She is vital,’ ” Sims stated.
Victoria police initially informed Sims they believed a criminal offense had been dedicated as a result of there have been two victims.
Sims-Somerville’s buddy, Brooklyn Friese, had additionally been rushed to hospital from the identical occasion and was placed on life help however survived a near-fatal overdose of GHB and Rohypnol.
The physician within the ICU that night time informed Sims he suspected foul play.
In September 2022, police closed their investigation with out recommending fees, and the coroners service concluded the loss of life was unintended, primarily based on the police investigation.
Sims believes Samantha was murdered. She believes the 2 younger ladies had been intentionally recruited by a mutual buddy, invited to a celebration on Yates Avenue with older males they didn’t know, and drugged with deadly doses of GHB. A number of of the boys who had been there that night time are recognized to police.
She has filed a grievance with the Workplace of the Police Grievance Commissioner towards the three officers who investigated Samantha’s loss of life, alleging officers ignored vital proof, together with messages despatched by the buddy who invited her daughter and Friese to the occasion.
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The messages say the women had been drugged and names the person who could have drugged them. Sims additionally alleges that the officers didn’t look into the buddy’s involvement in Samantha’s loss of life.
Sims is interesting the coroner’s discovering that Samantha’s loss of life was unintended.
Final week, she wrote to performing chief coroner John McNamee, interesting to him on to reopen an investigation.
“I simply stated, ‘Look, I’m begging you. It’s inside the public’s curiosity. It should give them peace figuring out that there’s some hope within the justice system,’ ” Sims stated. “She didn’t do that herself.”
When she acquired a response this week, she thought the fast reply meant unhealthy information.
As a substitute, McNamee stated he would reopen the investigation primarily based on new proof that was not accessible on the time the earlier investigation was accomplished.
The information is bittersweet for Sims, who stated she feels relieved after preventing for justice for her daughter, and unhappiness and anger that she has needed to struggle so laborious.
“My daughter’s gone by the hands of others however I fought and fought and fought and individuals are beginning to pay attention,” she stated.
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Victoria lawyer Donald McKay, who helps Sims, stated it has been an uphill battle and it wasn’t clear her efforts would ever come to something, “so that is very hopeful.”
He and Sims are nonetheless awaiting the outcomes of the grievance filed towards police.
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