BC coroner opens review into death of Kelowna woman


Arlene Westervelt’s family believe the police and coroner’s investigation into her death was flawed, and have long pressed for the case to be re-opened.

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The BC Coroners Service has reopened its investigation into the death of Arlene Westervelt, a Lake Country woman who drowned while kayaking with her husband.

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Provincial legislation allows for the coroner to re-open an investigation if new evidence has arisen, or if such a re-examination is considered to be in the public interest.

“In this case, the chief coroner has determined that it is in the public interest for another coroner to undertake a new investigation to include any new or additional information that may assist the public in understanding the circumstances of Arlene Westervelt’s death,” Ryan Panton, spokesperson for the BC Coroners Service, wrote in an email.

But Westervelt’s family, who have long pressed for the investigation into her 2016 death to be re-opened, say another review of the case solely by the BC Coroners Service is not what they wanted.

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“While I appreciate Chief Coroner (Lisa) Lapointe’s willingness to allow a review, I’m afraid an internal review is meaningless as it cannot independently address questions surrounding various acts and omissions by the BC Coroners Service,” said Debbie Hennig, Westervelt’s sister.

“Given all the concerns that surround this case, the only way to ensure a meaningful independent review is for this to be done by an anatomical forensic pathologist outside of British Columbia, and not a member of Lisa Lapointe’s own team behind closed doors.

“An external expert pathologist can provide an objective opinion that includes an honest assessment of the BC Coroners’ work and findings. Only then will justice be seen to be done,” Hennig said.

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Westervelt, a nurse, and her husband Bert went kayaking in June 2016. Immediately after she drowned, police ruled her death an accident but Bert was charged years later with second-degree murder.

He was to have stood trial in 2020 but the Crown announced shortly before proceedings were to begin that the charge had been stayed, citing unspecified new information connected to the case. Authorities have never disclosed the nature of that information.

Arlene Westervelt’s family believe the police and coroner’s investigation into her death was flawed, and have long pressed for the case to be re-opened.

On the steps of the Kelowna courthouse, family and friends gathered last June on the fifth anniversary of her death to call for a release of coroner files connected to the case to be released to an outside forensic investigator.


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