Latest news with #DianeChandler
CBC
29-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Family of woman found dead at Surrey, B.C., supportive housing facility calls for change
The son of a B.C. woman whose body sat in a supportive housing unit for 11 days before being discovered was at the legislature Wednesday. Diane Chandler was battling depression and addiction issues when she moved into Surrey's Foxglove housing, where her children believed she would be safe.
CBC
29-05-2025
- General
- CBC
B.C.'s Official Opposition calls for changes to supportive housing following CBC investigation into death
British Columbia's Official Opposition is calling for widespread changes to supportive housing in the province following a CBC News investigation that revealed an 11-day delay in finding the body of a tenant. Claire Rattée, the B.C. Conservative critic for mental health and addictions, said the story reveals the province's current approach amounts to "warehousing addiction," and reveals greater access to drug treatment and sober living facilities is urgently needed. Diane Chandler was living in Surrey's Foxglove supportive housing building, and died of an overdose in her room on April 20, 2024. In the days that followed, staff at the facility signed off on multiple wellness checks saying Chandler was alive. Chandler's body wasn't found until May 1, 2024. Critical incident reports sent to B.C. Housing — then obtained by CBC News through freedom of information — reveal that staff had mixed up another resident for Chandler. When they eventually discovered Chandler deceased in her room, they then found the other tenant dead of an overdose in their room, as well. Chandler's children, Tyler and Carley Gibbs, were never contacted by B.C. Housing. They eventually learned of the delay in finding their mother's body through the cremation service that assisted in her funeral, and later through the coroner's report into her death. Speaking at the legislature, Tyler Gibbs said his mother was "failed" by the province, and that her addiction worsened after moving into her room at Foxglove. "B.C. Housing never contacted me or my family, and I think that's a disgrace. I want answers and I want change. My mum deserved better," he said. B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said in the legislature on Wednesday that in response to Chandler's death, the province implemented changes that require wellness checks every 24 hours in every supportive housing facility across the province. The province implemented changes to allow for more frequent wellness checks in January 2024, four months prior to Chandler's death. Rattée said the issue of accessing tenants' rooms does not address the issue of people dying behind closed doors in provincially-funded housing. "There's a deeper issue here and I don't think it's around wellness checks," she said. "It's about encouraging open drug use in supportive housing facilities and warehousing addiction," she said. Not an isolated incident CBC News later revealed a similar story from years earlier, and promises one mother said were broken. Cyndie Richards' son Shawn died at the Princess Rooms, a RainCity Housing facility in Vancouver, in 2017. His body was not found by staff for three days. Richards said after Shawn's death, a RainCity manager promised her that as a result of the mistake, wellness checks on tenants in the facility would be performed more frequently. She told CBC News that Chandler's death seven years later proves not enough has been done. Rattée said the stories reveal the province must urgently expand treatment and mental services. "We need to have supportive housing that is completely sober," she said. "If they want to have a mixed model, we need to make sure we encourage treatment in these facilities. We need to make sure people have an option between the two. We need to make sure those coming out of treatment aren't being put wet facilities."
CBC
15-05-2025
- CBC
Mother of man who's body lay in supportive housing for 3 days says little has changed
A recent CBC investigation has revealed that it took 11 days to find a tenant's body in supportive housing in 2024. Diane Chandler died from an overdose of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl in her room at the Foxglove. CBC News has also learned now that Years before that, Cyndie Richard's son Shawn died in a different supportive housing building... and it took three days for staff to find his body.
CBC
15-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Her son's body lay in a supportive housing building for 3 days. Years later, she says little has changed
Social Sharing Shawn Richards died at the age of 37 after ingesting toxic drugs in the room of a supportive housing building where he was living in 2017. It took three days for staff to find his body. Shawn's mother, Cyndie Richards, was already haunted by the fact that her son's lifeless body lay behind a locked door for so long. But Richards says learning almost the same thing happened to Diane Chandler seven years later "chilled her to the bone." She says after Shawn's death, a manager at RainCity promised her that as a result of the mistake, wellness checks on tenants in the facility would be performed every eight to 12 hours, instead of every 24. "I just thought, 'Oh my god, you haven't done anything, and you promised me you would,'" she said. Richards and Chandler's two children say the delay in finding their loved ones' bodies reveals gaps in B.C.'s supportive housing systems, and the dangers of using drugs behind closed doors in facilities meant to help those struggling with mental health and addiction. "I didn't make a big scene at the time; I took them at their word [that] a horrendous mistake had been made ... And then to find this indignity was done," said Richards. In a statement, B.C. Housing said, "We are deeply saddened by any loss of life and extend our condolences to the family and friends of this individual. The safety of residents is always our top priority. " The statement said in 2017, B.C. Housing "strengthened requirements in operating agreements for providers to verify resident safety when residents had not been seen for an extended period of time, not exceeding 48 hours." RainCity Housing did not respond to a CBC News request for comment. Richards said the testimonies of Chandler's two children brought back vivid memories of her own son's body being found, exactly seven years earlier. "Now they have to have the heartache like I did of knowing that my son's lifeless body lay there without someone coming to take his body away, letting his family know," she said. "It's just unbearable." Chandler, who had long suffered depression and addiction, died on April 20th in the Foxglove complex housing facility in Surrey in 2024. A CBC News investigation revealed it took 11 days for her to be found, though staff had signed off on wellness checks saying she was alive. Emails between B.C. Housing staff revealed staff members who thought they had seen Chandler had mixed her up with another tenant. It wasn't until May 1 that staff would find Chandler and the tenant they had mistaken for her, both dead in their rooms. Shawn Richards had been living in Princess Rooms, a RainCity facility on Powell Street in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and visited his mother at her workplace on a weekly basis. Richards described him as a funny and popular kid who excelled in every sport he tried. He fell into addiction in his early 20s as he struggled with his mental health. The RainCity housing website describes Princess Rooms as a "transitional housing program focused on providing a safe, supportive housing environment for individuals with long histories of homelessness." A copy of his coroner's report, which has been reviewed by CBC News, says he was last seen alive on April 28, 2017. He was found on May 1, and the coroner concluded he likely died on April 29. Richards said shortly after her son's death, she was told an employee didn't open the door to check on Shawn earlier because they were worried about what they might find. She has little other information about why days passed without anyone from RainCity checking on Shawn. Changes implemented prior to Chandler's death In response to the CBC News story about Chandler's death, B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the province has implemented changes that allow supportive housing operators to enter tenants' rooms "as a way to confirm their health, well-being and safety." Those changes were implemented in January 2024, four months prior to Chandler's death. Across supportive housing in B.C., the frequency of wellness checks varies site to site depending on the level of care provided and the needs of individuals living on site. Kahlon said while the incident involving Chandler was "unacceptable," supportive housing facilities in the province continue to save lives. "If we don't have these sites, people are sleeping in parks and in encampments, and they're in a way more dangerous environment for themselves and for the public, so we're trying to meet people where they need the supports," he said. But Richards said she sometimes wonders whether the street might have been a safer place for her son to use, rather than behind a locked door. "My horror as a mother is that I fought so hard for him to get into this, and if Shawn had been on the street, he probably would be alive because there would be someone there that would have given him Narcan."
CBC
07-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
'Deeply ashamed': Body sat for 11 days after overdose death in 'first-of-it's kind' supportive housing complex
When Diane Chandler found a unit in Surrey's Foxglove supportive housing building in 2023, the main thing her children hoped for was safety. The 60-year-old had spent years battling depression and addiction, surviving on disability payments as she moved between temporary shelters and her car. And the Foxglove — a multi-use building designed to house people living with complex mental health and substance use problems — came praised by municipal, provincial and federal politicians, including former Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum and B.C. Premier David Eby. But none of those protections would save Chandler, who died from an overdose of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl in her room in the Foxglove almost a year ago. Adding to the pain of their mother's loss, Chandler's children say they discovered weeks after she died that her body wasn't found for 11 days — overlooked in what the CBC has learned was a case of mistaken identity. "I just hoped that she was safe," Chandler's son, Tyler Gibbs, told the CBC. "If she was struggling with something, there'd be someone to help her. Just to talk with her and help her out with that. I think the main thing for me is just making sure it was a safe place, is what it is for me. That was what was most important — that it's safe." 'It makes her life seem worthless' Diane Chandler's death is one of eight Foxglove overdose deaths described in critical incident reports sent to B.C. Housing obtained by CBC through freedom of information. Beyond the shocking revelations regarding the delay in finding Chandler's body, the documents detail the housing agency's concern that the deaths might make their way into the media. Chandler's family say the tragedy also raises important but thorny questions as to when a permissive approach to housing the most vulnerable people in B.C. communities borders on enabling addiction. Although a manager with RainCity Housing and Support Society — the nonprofit organization which operates the Foxglove — told Tyler Gibbs in an email that the agency was "deeply ashamed" by what happened, Gibbs and his sister say B.C. Housing has never reached out to them. Carley Gibbs says her mother — a Canucks fan who was devoted to her children — deserved better. "It makes her life seem worthless. People who have mental health problems and who have drug addiction are not worthless," the 29-year-old said in an interview. "And the way that our systems put them into these housings and just let them live is not how people get better. People need action and counselling, and active support, not just a roof over their heads. Just because they're in the building doesn't mean that they're safe." 'Supportive housing works' B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon offered his condolences to the family after CBC contacted the ministry about Chandler's case and the deaths at Foxglove. He suggested recent changes to the province's residential tenancy regulations will ensure greater safety for residents by allowing supportive care staff to perform wellness checks by entering suites without permission. But he also said the complex nature of problems that land people in buildings like the Foxglove means they will often be more vulnerable to ignoring rules and dying behind closed doors. "Supportive housing works, it's not a question of whether it works or not," Kahlon said. "The challenge for us is that with toxic drug supply, with mental health, with addiction, the need for people to use continues to be there. The challenge is not whether it's the housing or not, the challenge is the mental illness and addiction that we're all trying to grapple with." Eby was housing minister when he celebrated the Foxglove's opening alongside McCallum and Surrey Centre Liberal MP Randeep Sarai, announcing $5 million in federal funding, $25 million from the province and an annual operating cost of $3.2 million. "Foxglove is one of the first complex-care sites to open as part of the province's first-of-its-kind housing program," said a news release at the time, detailing a partnership between RainCity, B.C. Housing and Fraser Health to provide enhanced support and counselling. In addition to nurses, social workers and peer workers, the building's 100 homes and 30 emergency shelter spaces offer overdose prevention services, cooking and meal supports, psychiatric care and recovery coaching. 'Might be some media interest ' According to the documents obtained by CBC, the Foxglove's first overdose death occurred a little more than three weeks later — on May 17, 2022. The next death occurred around 12 a.m. on May 27. After the second death, a B.C. Housing employee sent colleagues a copy of a critical incident report, warning there "might be some media interest due to the newness of the building, complex care association and the other Foxglove OD a couple of weeks ago." But the questions never came. The documents returned to CBC through freedom of information don't include reports for 2023, although a separate FOI issued to a private individual earlier this year indicates that there were three suspected overdose deaths that year. As 2024 began, the FOI documents say separate overdose deaths occurred at the Foxglove on March 23 and 24. Less than a month later, on April 20th, 2024, Chandler was last seen alive — according to a coroner's report — "by way of CCTV cameras at the housing complex." 'I was also really scared' Carley Gibbs says she was "excited" to learn her mother had found a permanent home at the Foxglove after leaving another shelter where she felt unsafe. She visited Chandler in her room, which was papered with the colouring books she loved to fill. Her mother seemed happy, but Carley had misgivings. She says she saw signs of open drug use everywhere. Fighting back tears, Carley told CBC she had often tried to talk to her mother about going into rehab, but "she didn't think she had a problem, so I had to be happy for her." "But I was also really scared that I would lose her," she said. "Because I knew that the facility she was going into was completely surrounded by other people who were in a similar situation. And I was really scared that being around all those people would create a toxic environment. That part did really worry me." 'The family is quite upset' After Chandler was caught on camera on April 20, B.C. Housing documents say Foxglove staff "signed off on visually seeing" her on two more occasions — April 26 and April 28 — "when, in fact, it was someone who looked similar." "Staff did a room check on the deceased's suite May 1," a description of the incident reads. "Staff knocked and entered the tenant's room because there was no answer. The client was found deceased." The documents say staff followed up with a wellness check on the woman whom they had mistaken for Chandler — she was also discovered deceased, another apparent overdose. The coroner's report says that when Chandler's body was finally discovered, she was sitting in a chair. There was no sign of foul play, and drug pipes were discovered nearby. "The family is quite upset and may escalate the situation, including potential media," the B.C. Housing documents say. "There has been an issue with casual staff who are less familiar with the residents' names and faces. They have been instructed not to sign off on wellness checks unless they are certain of a person's identity." 'We did not take this oversight lightly' Tyler Gibbs says his uncle told him Chandler died after he was contacted by RCMP. But the 33-year-old says the family was initially led to believe she died close to the day her body was found on May 1, 2024. They didn't learn about the delay in finding Chandler's body until she was cremated, when they were told the coroner believed Chandler had died on April 20 — 11 days earlier. Gibbs says he asked Foxglove for an explanation. He shared the response from Foxglove program manager Charles Jones. "I will be candid with you about an unfortunate oversight on our part. A staff member was mistakenly identifying Diane as another resident, which led to her being incorrectly marked off as seen on our safety checklist," Jones wrote. "We did not take this oversight lightly and feel deeply ashamed. We are committed to the safety and dignity of all our residents and sincerely regret that this situation occurred. Please accept our heartfelt apology for the oversight and any distress or uncertainty it has caused." 'There are people in there who matter' A year after Chandler's death, both children say they are still struggling with grief, compounded by the outstanding questions over accountability. "It was heartbreaking to go through that. Whether that's a mother or father or any family member, losing someone to a drug overdose, it hurts. It sucks. And hearing that they could have been better at preventing it, hearing more details about it," said Tyler Gibbs "Hopefully, they'll learn from this." Carley Gibbs says it's important for her to make Chandler's "life and voice known. She tried her best." "There are people in there who matter. They came from somewhere," she said. "They need to feel supported — and without that, they just don't know what to do, which is a really scary place to be in." The last time Carley Gibbs saw her mother alive was a few months earlier for a birthday celebration at Troll's in Horseshoe Bay, a cherished place where Chandler went with her family as a kid. "It was just such an honest experience," Gibbs said.
