When Diane Chandler discovered a unit in Surrey’s Foxglove supportive housing constructing in 2023, the primary factor her kids hoped for was security.
The 60-year-old had spent years battling despair and dependancy, surviving on incapacity funds as she moved between non permanent shelters and her automotive.
And the Foxglove — a multi-use constructing designed to deal with individuals dwelling with complicated psychological well being and substance use issues — got here praised by municipal, provincial and federal politicians, together with former Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum and B.C. Premier David Eby.
However none of these protections would save Chandler, who died from an overdose of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl in her room within the Foxglove nearly a yr in the past.
Including to the ache of their mom’s loss, Chandler’s kids say they found weeks after she died that her physique wasn’t discovered for 11 days — neglected in what the CBC has realized was a case of mistaken id.
“I simply hoped that she was protected,” Chandler’s son, Tyler Gibbs, instructed the CBC.
“If she was scuffling with one thing, there’d be somebody to assist her. Simply to speak along with her and assist her out with that. I feel the primary factor for me is simply ensuring it was a protected place, is what it’s for me. That was what was most necessary — that it is protected.”
‘It makes her life appear nugatory’
Diane Chandler’s loss of life is one in all eight Foxglove overdose deaths described in important incident studies despatched to B.C. Housing obtained by CBC by means of freedom of data.
Past the stunning revelations relating to the delay to find Chandler’s physique, the paperwork element the housing company’s concern that the deaths may make their means into the media.
Chandler’s household say the tragedy additionally raises necessary however thorny questions as to when a permissive method to housing essentially the most weak individuals in B.C. communities borders on enabling dependancy.
Though a supervisor with RainCity Housing and Assist Society — the nonprofit group which operates the Foxglove — instructed Tyler Gibbs in an electronic mail that the company was “deeply ashamed” by what occurred, Gibbs and his sister say B.C. Housing has by no means reached out to them.
Carley Gibbs says her mom — a Canucks fan who was dedicated to her kids — deserved higher.
“It makes her life appear nugatory. Individuals who have psychological well being issues and who’ve drug dependancy aren’t nugatory,” the 29-year-old stated in an interview.
“And the best way that our programs put them into these housings and simply allow them to stay just isn’t how individuals get higher. Folks want motion and counselling, and energetic help, not only a roof over their heads. Simply because they’re within the constructing does not imply that they are protected.”
‘Supportive housing works’
B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon provided his condolences to the household after CBC contacted the ministry about Chandler’s case and the deaths at Foxglove.
He prompt current adjustments to the province’s residential tenancy rules will guarantee larger security for residents by permitting supportive care employees to carry out wellness checks by coming into suites with out permission.
However he additionally stated the complicated nature of issues that land individuals in buildings just like the Foxglove means they are going to typically be extra weak to ignoring guidelines and dying behind closed doorways.
“Supportive housing works, it isn’t a query of whether or not it really works or not,” Kahlon stated.
“The problem for us is that with poisonous drug provide, with psychological well being, with dependancy, the necessity for individuals to make use of continues to be there. The problem just isn’t whether or not it is the housing or not, the problem is the psychological sickness and dependancy that we’re all making an attempt to grapple with.”
Eby was housing minister when he celebrated the Foxglove’s opening alongside McCallum and Surrey Centre Liberal MP Randeep Sarai, asserting $5 million in federal funding, $25 million from the province and an annual working price of $3.2 million.
“Foxglove is among the first complex-care websites to open as a part of the province’s first-of-its-kind housing program,” stated a information launch on the time, detailing a partnership between RainCity, B.C. Housing and Fraser Well being to offer enhanced help and counselling.
Along with nurses, social staff and peer staff, the constructing’s 100 houses and 30 emergency shelter areas provide overdose prevention providers, cooking and meal helps, psychiatric care and restoration teaching.
‘May be some media curiosity ‘
In line with the paperwork obtained by CBC, the Foxglove’s first overdose loss of life occurred slightly greater than three weeks later — on Might 17, 2022.
The following loss of life occurred round 12 a.m. on Might 27.
After the second loss of life, a B.C. Housing worker despatched colleagues a duplicate of a important incident report, warning there “is likely to be some media curiosity as a result of newness of the constructing, complicated care affiliation and the opposite Foxglove OD a few weeks in the past.”
However the questions by no means got here.
The paperwork returned to CBC by means of freedom of data do not embody studies for 2023, though a separate FOI issued to a non-public particular person earlier this yr signifies that there have been three suspected overdose deaths that yr.
As 2024 started, the FOI paperwork say separate overdose deaths occurred on the Foxglove on March 23 and 24.
Lower than a month later, on April twentieth, 2024, Chandler was final seen alive — in keeping with a coroner’s report — “by means of CCTV cameras on the housing complicated.”
‘I used to be additionally actually scared’
Carley Gibbs says she was “excited” to study her mom had discovered a everlasting dwelling on the Foxglove after leaving one other shelter the place she felt unsafe.
She visited Chandler in her room, which was papered with the colouring books she cherished to fill. Her mom appeared pleased, however Carley had misgivings.
She says she noticed indicators of open drug use in every single place.
Combating again tears, Carley instructed CBC she had typically tried to speak to her mom about going into rehab, however “she did not assume she had an issue, so I needed to be pleased for her.”
“However I used to be additionally actually scared that I might lose her,” she stated.
“As a result of I knew that the power she was going into was utterly surrounded by different individuals who have been in the same state of affairs. And I used to be actually scared that being round all these individuals would create a poisonous atmosphere. That half did actually fear me.”
‘The household is sort of upset’
After Chandler was caught on digicam on April 20, B.C. Housing paperwork say Foxglove employees “signed off on visually seeing” her on two extra events — April 26 and April 28 — “when, in actual fact, it was somebody who appeared related.”
“Employees did a room examine on the deceased’s suite Might 1,” an outline of the incident reads.
“Employees knocked and entered the tenant’s room as a result of there was no reply. The shopper was discovered deceased.”
The paperwork say employees adopted up with a wellness examine on the lady whom that they had mistaken for Chandler — she was additionally found deceased, one other obvious overdose.
The coroner’s report says that when Chandler’s physique was lastly found, she was sitting in a chair. There was no signal of foul play, and drug pipes have been found close by.
“The household is sort of upset and will escalate the state of affairs, together with potential media,” the B.C. Housing paperwork say.
“There was a difficulty with informal employees who’re much less aware of the residents’ names and faces. They’ve been instructed to not log off on wellness checks except they’re sure of an individual’s id.”
‘We didn’t take this oversight frivolously’
Tyler Gibbs says his uncle instructed him Chandler died after he was contacted by RCMP.
However the 33-year-old says the household was initially led to consider she died near the day her physique was discovered on Might 1, 2024.
They did not study in regards to the delay to find Chandler’s physique till she was cremated, once they have been instructed the coroner believed Chandler had died on April 20 — 11 days earlier.
Gibbs says he requested Foxglove for an evidence. He shared the response from Foxglove program supervisor Charles Jones.
“I might be candid with you about an unlucky oversight on our half. A employees member was mistakenly figuring out Diane as one other resident, which led to her being incorrectly marked off as seen on our security guidelines,” Jones wrote.
“We didn’t take this oversight frivolously and really feel deeply ashamed. We’re dedicated to the security and dignity of all our residents and sincerely remorse that this case occurred. Please settle for our heartfelt apology for the oversight and any misery or uncertainty it has brought on.”
‘There are individuals in there who matter’
A yr after Chandler’s loss of life, each kids say they’re nonetheless scuffling with grief, compounded by the excellent questions over accountability.
“It was heartbreaking to undergo that. Whether or not that is a mom or father or any member of the family, shedding somebody to a drug overdose, it hurts. It sucks. And listening to that they may have been higher at stopping it, listening to extra particulars about it,” stated Tyler Gibbs
“Hopefully, they’re going to study from this.”
Carley Gibbs says it is necessary for her to make Chandler’s “life and voice recognized. She tried her finest.”
“There are individuals in there who matter. They got here from someplace,” she stated.
“They should really feel supported — and with out that, they simply do not know what to do, which is a very scary place to be in.”
The final time Carley Gibbs noticed her mom alive was just a few months earlier for a birthday celebration at Troll’s in Horseshoe Bay, a cherished place the place Chandler went along with her household as a child.
“It was simply such an sincere expertise,” Gibbs stated.
“She did not seem to be she, in a month or two, she would not be right here anymore. It is laborious to look again on that now as a result of it was such a cheerful time. However I am so glad that I’ve that reminiscence.”
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