Woman who died from burns was victim of homicide, Winnipeg police say
CBC
WARNING: This story contains details that may be distressing.
A 41-year-old woman who died after suffering severe burns was the victim of a homicide and Winnipeg police urge the public to help them learn more about her.
Melissa Cook died in hospital on Aug. 20 and police became involved in the investigation five days later, after being notified by the chief medical examiner's office that her death was a homicide.
Detectives say Cook, who was from Sapotaweyak Cree Nation and living in Winnipeg since April, did not have a house in the city and may have been living in homeless encampments.
She had also spent time at Siloam Mission and in the South Point Douglas area.
Cook likely sustained her burns in late June or early July, police said. She told staff at a shelter in early July about her injuries and was taken to hospital, where she remained until she died.
WATCH | Police asking people to come forward with tips
Police spokesperson Const. Jay Murray wouldn't say where on her body she was burned.
"That's an aspect of the investigation we're going to hold back at this time, but we can acknowledge that she has severe burns," he said. "She did live with them for some time."
Police are still trying to determine where in the city she was burned.
Although Cook told shelter staff that she needed help, "Melissa wasn't very candid with some of the individuals she interacted with about the injuries," Murray said.
The police service's major crimes unit has been trying to learn more about Cook and her activities over the summer but is now turning to the public for help.
"We've learned some things about Melissa … but there's still a lot of unknowns, and we're really relying on the public to help us with this," Murray said.
"I just ask the members of the public to look at this with an empathetic lens," he said, noting Friday was the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Tuesday is the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
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