LAC LA BICHE – A large group of people turned out to participate in a walk of solidarity to remember Frank Whitford, a Lac La Biche-area resident who died while in police custody on Nov. 10, 2019, at the age of 19.
The walk got underway at 1 p.m. at the Richard and Devonian Park on April 12. The walkers, many holding placards bearing the words ‘Justice for Frank’, made their way down Main Street before turning onto Beaver Hill Road and stopping at the Lac La Biche RCMP detachment.
According to information from the Alberta government’s fatality inquiry schedules, an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Whitford will take place from April 30 to May 2 at the Lac La Biche Court of Justice.
“On Nov. 9, 2019, Frank Frances Whitford was found unresponsive in police holding cells after being arrested for public intoxication. He was transported to hospital where he died the following day from multi-system organ failure,” reads the information.
Whitford's mother Sylvia Quintal described her son as generous, funny, and easy to get along with. Whitford worked from the age of 12, had been accepted to Portage College, and had plans to start a business with members of his family.
“He was my pride and joy. He was my first child to graduate. He was the kindest, sweetest boy you’d ever meet,” Quintal told Lakeland This Week.
When asked what her understanding is of the events that occurred on Nov. 9, 2019, Quintal said her son, who had no criminal record, got picked up for public intoxication. Family members contacted her right away and she sent Whitford's sister to check on him at the RCMP detachment. The sister was told that Frank would be home in the morning, as he was an adult.
Quintal then received a call at about 4 a.m. on Nov. 10 from Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton informing her that her son was on life support, and he would not make it.
“He died upon my arrival,” she said.
Through the solidarity walk, Quintal hopes to create awareness to ensure Métis and First Nations people get proper attention while in police custody and by EMS.
Lloyd Cardinal was part of the group that participated in the walk of solidarity and is a relative to Quintal. He also hopes that events such as the walk help create awareness about incidents such as what happened to Whitford.
“This needs to be done more often,” Cardinal said.
Larissa Halfe, who is friends with Quintal, said she attended the walk to support her friend.
“I heard of what happened to her son, and I just wanted to come and support her,” Halfe said.
