“Ashley Smith was found unconscious on Oct. 19, 2007, in her segregation cell at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, Ont., and later died in hospital of what police have described as "self-initiated asphyxiation." ” ~ Reported June 24, 2008 by Prisonjustice.caAshley was 19 years old and lived her last moments in the Women’s Prison. She began her journey toward the end in March 2003 at the age of 16 (and before). The OCI Reports states… Quote…
“Smith began displaying challenging behaviours at an early age. As such, her family sought help from local and provincial social service agencies. She was eventually admitted to a diagnostic and treatment facility in March 2003, however, she was discharged due to her unruly behaviour.” ~ End Quote
The family could not help her so they sought professional help. They couldn’t help her so they passed her off. Her personal reactions and actions to what was happening around her was to act out – and lash out. All of this is taking place in her native New Brunswick. Again the OCI Report states… Quote..
“Ms. Smith was repeatedly called before the Juvenile Courts, and was eventually given a closed custody sentence to the New Brunswick Youth Centre (NBYC) in December 2003. While at NBYC, Ms. Smith incurred 50 additional criminal charges, many of which were related to her response to incidents in which correctional or health professionals were attempting to prevent or stop her self-harming behaviours. She spent extensive periods of time isolated in the Therapeutic Quiet Unit (i.e., segregation) at that facility.” ~ end Quote
9 Months after she was first looked at professionally she had incurred 50 Criminal Charges. Remember she is only 16. She was trying to harm herself… and the authorities then responded by attempting to stop her – she lashed out to hurt them – then she was charged.
This is all happening at Provincial Levels – at Youth Levels of justice issues. No one knows what the family is going through… and nothing can be reported.
The OCI continues… Quote..
“January 2006, still on segregation status at the youth facility, Ms. Smith turned 18 years of age. This meant that any criminal conviction she incurred from that point forward would result in an adult sentence. Unfortunately, Ms. Smith's challenging behaviours continued and she found herself once again in criminal court in October 2006 for offences committed against custodial staff. The presiding judge gave Ms. Smith an adult custodial sentence for the new offences.
Following this, an application was made to have the youth custodial sentences that Ms. Smith was already serving treated as if they were adult custodial sentences. This application was successful, resulting in all of Ms. Smith's sentences being merged into one adult prison term. Because the merged adult sentence was more than two years, Ms. Smith was transferred to Nova Institution for Women - a federal penitentiary - on October 31, 2006.” ~ end Quote
She then was transferred across Canada to different Institutions to try to “help” her.
In just under one year later – 14 days shy of it – she is dead.
The tragic circumstances of her death were that Prison Guards/Staff stood and watched approach her death after she wrapped a “ligature” around her own neck. One ‘verbal report’ that was passed my way stated the management told its staff to not intervene until she stopped breathing. I am supposing here that they felt that she had done this so often that letting her continue further would simply teach her a lesson. Maybe she would stop… and… she certainly did.
When I heard that I cringed. It made me sick to my stomach. How could anyone do such a thing to another human being!?
Prison Staff – 4 of them – were charged by the police. I think charges were later dropped. But a number of Prison Staff lost their jobs and others were disciplined for this terrible ‘non-intervention’.
At some point between the beginning at March 2003 and the end at October 17, 2007 – there must have been someone that saw that this girl had some major mental problems? There must have been some one that cared enough to do something differently?
But what did happen is that she was charged over and over again – for hurting the staff member that tried to stop her from hurting herself.
Laying charges against someone that is in some form of mental distress doesn’t work. To do that the authority is assuming that there is a rational person in front of them. Then to pass the person on and on and on to different and new people – while the mental crisis is growing worse and worse… is stupid!
I can only imagine the toil this has taken on hundreds of staff members since that March 2003. Then finally on the staff that attended the final moments of Ashley’s life. None of them will ever be the same.
It is 2 years ago – tomorrow that Ashley died in that segregation cell with the staff watching.
The photo that appears above is taken from The Star web story. (The web site made my computer anti-virus go crazy so I have not shown where it came from – some group in the USA was ‘phishing’ on this site).
I would like you to look at Ashley’s face a few times. I would also ask you to pray for her parents(and family) through all of this. Tomorrow will be a terrible day for everyone to remember. In fact it would be really wise for all of us to think of Ashley Smith tomorrow with the hopes that it will never happen again – NEVER EVER AGAIN!
A law suit has been launched against the authorities for $11 Million. Personally I doubt that if it was a law suit of $250 Million or even a $1 Billion that it would make a difference at all.
Money will not fix this system. But Ashley Smith’s story might. Ashley may have accomplished more in that last terrible act – than anyone will ever know. Maybe the next Ashley will not suffer again.
WARNING – the Link to the OCI report below takes you to a 12,000+ word report. You need to time to digest it. It is published so everyone in the world will know that they have thoroughly looked into the matter and revealed all that they have found.
All of the Links below are worth reading carefully – in memory of Ashley.
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Source:
The Report from the Office of the Correctional Invesitgator
http://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/rpt/oth-aut/oth-aut20080620-eng.aspx
Ashley Smith stories
http://www.prisonjustice.ca/starkravenarticles/ashley_smith_CI_0708.html
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2009/10/08/nb-ashley-smith-family-lawsuit-1107.html
http://ashley-smith-news.newslib.com/
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/03/04/smith-family.html
In another direction…
The following Poem is written by a person by the same name. I found it at http://www.helium.com/items/371647-poetry-dark-poems I have no idea who this Ashley is – but it has touched me deeply… as it describes so well the other Ashley’s life…
~My Reflection~ by Ashley Smith
She then was transferred across Canada to different Institutions to try to “help” her.
In just under one year later – 14 days shy of it – she is dead.
The tragic circumstances of her death were that Prison Guards/Staff stood and watched approach her death after she wrapped a “ligature” around her own neck. One ‘verbal report’ that was passed my way stated the management told its staff to not intervene until she stopped breathing. I am supposing here that they felt that she had done this so often that letting her continue further would simply teach her a lesson. Maybe she would stop… and… she certainly did.
When I heard that I cringed. It made me sick to my stomach. How could anyone do such a thing to another human being!?
Prison Staff – 4 of them – were charged by the police. I think charges were later dropped. But a number of Prison Staff lost their jobs and others were disciplined for this terrible ‘non-intervention’.
At some point between the beginning at March 2003 and the end at October 17, 2007 – there must have been someone that saw that this girl had some major mental problems? There must have been some one that cared enough to do something differently?
But what did happen is that she was charged over and over again – for hurting the staff member that tried to stop her from hurting herself.
Laying charges against someone that is in some form of mental distress doesn’t work. To do that the authority is assuming that there is a rational person in front of them. Then to pass the person on and on and on to different and new people – while the mental crisis is growing worse and worse… is stupid!
I can only imagine the toil this has taken on hundreds of staff members since that March 2003. Then finally on the staff that attended the final moments of Ashley’s life. None of them will ever be the same.
It is 2 years ago – tomorrow that Ashley died in that segregation cell with the staff watching.
The photo that appears above is taken from The Star web story. (The web site made my computer anti-virus go crazy so I have not shown where it came from – some group in the USA was ‘phishing’ on this site).
I would like you to look at Ashley’s face a few times. I would also ask you to pray for her parents(and family) through all of this. Tomorrow will be a terrible day for everyone to remember. In fact it would be really wise for all of us to think of Ashley Smith tomorrow with the hopes that it will never happen again – NEVER EVER AGAIN!
A law suit has been launched against the authorities for $11 Million. Personally I doubt that if it was a law suit of $250 Million or even a $1 Billion that it would make a difference at all.
Money will not fix this system. But Ashley Smith’s story might. Ashley may have accomplished more in that last terrible act – than anyone will ever know. Maybe the next Ashley will not suffer again.
WARNING – the Link to the OCI report below takes you to a 12,000+ word report. You need to time to digest it. It is published so everyone in the world will know that they have thoroughly looked into the matter and revealed all that they have found.
All of the Links below are worth reading carefully – in memory of Ashley.
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Source:
The Report from the Office of the Correctional Invesitgator
http://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/rpt/oth-aut/oth-aut20080620-eng.aspx
Ashley Smith stories
http://www.prisonjustice.ca/starkravenarticles/ashley_smith_CI_0708.html
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2009/10/08/nb-ashley-smith-family-lawsuit-1107.html
http://ashley-smith-news.newslib.com/
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/03/04/smith-family.html
In another direction…
The following Poem is written by a person by the same name. I found it at http://www.helium.com/items/371647-poetry-dark-poems I have no idea who this Ashley is – but it has touched me deeply… as it describes so well the other Ashley’s life…
~My Reflection~ by Ashley Smith
There's a reflection in my mirror, of a girl who's silently crying.
She appears to be so happy, but inside, her soul is dying.
She walks around unhappily, and hides her feelings deep,
But then, when she goes home at night, she cries herself to sleep.
Dreaming of things that will never be, but it still keeps her believing.
No one knows that what she dreams, is what keeps her here and breathing.
But at least she has a little hope, that’s still within her grasp,
But no one knows how long that little hope will really last.
It's her one and only happy thought, that stays within her mind.
Her reassurance that one day, maybe everything will be fine.
With no more long unhappy days, or smiles she had to fake.
No more masks she had to wear, or insults she had to take.
No more nights of endless crying, till she had no tears left to cry.
Or days when she would feel so worthless, all she wanted was to die.
A day when she'd no longer worry, and could live her life without pain,
She hopes that one day this will be, and things will finally change.
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