CANADA • Tasha LAVIGNE, 16 / Convicted: Cindy Lavigne (mother) ~ Campbellford ON

Teen found dead at B&B
April 26, 2011


A 16-year-old girl was found dead at the Emilyville Inn, a bed and breakfast establishment in Campbellford Sunday. Police are investigating the death.

Campbellford — Northumberland OPP is investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl at a bed and breakfast establishment in Campbellford.

A source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the teen was found dead at the Emilyville Inn. The source said it is thought the body was found Sunday.

Media officer Const. Chris Dewsbury said although police are investigating the death, no details will be released until results of the post-mortem are known.

"Right now we're treating this as an investigation pending the post-mortem," he said. "We can't release any information until we get the information from the autopsy."

Dewsbury said police must withhold the details of the investigation at this point because the death could turn out to be an accident or suicide.

"And we don't release information to the media on those," he said.

http://www.communitypress.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3095742

Police release name of girl found dead in B&B
Investigation ongoing, OPP say
April 27, 2011

Campbellford — The Northumberland OPP has released the name of a 16-year-old girl found dead in a Campbellford bed and breakfast establishment.

A media release Wednesday said the OPP is investigating the unexpected death of Tasha Lavigne of Campbellford.

Police are conducting a criminal investigation in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.

The OPP said it is believed there is no risk to public safety. Earlier this week a source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the teen was thought to be found dead Sunday at the Emilyville Inn.

Media officer Const. Chris Dewsbury told The Community Press Tuesday although police are investigating the death, no details will be released until results of the post-mortem are known.

"We can't release any information until we get the information from the autopsy," he said.

Dewsbury said police must withhold the details of the investigation at this point because the death could turn out to be an accident or suicide.

"And we don't release information to the media on those," he said.

Police are asking anyone with information related to the death to call the department at 613-475-1313.

http://www.communitypress.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3097887

Campbellford teen's death prompts criminal investigation
April 27, 2011

CAMPBELLFORD - Northumberland OPP has launched a criminal investigation into the death of a 16-year-old girl whose body was found at a bed-and-breakfast on Sunday, April 24.

A police spokesman said Wednesday morning there was "nothing suspicious" about the girl's death and that no details would be released pending the results of an autopsy at the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto.

However, Northumberland OPP media relations officer Const. Chris Dewsbury issued a news release Wednesday afternoon stating police are conducting a criminal investigation in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of Tasha Lavigne, of Campbellford. Her body was found at the Emilyville Inn on Grand Road.

"It is believed that there is no risk to public safety and police are seeking any assistance from the public with information that may assist in this investigation," Const. Dewsbury said.

Contact the OPP detachment in Campbellford at 705-653-3300, in Brighton at 613-475-1313.

http://www.communitypress.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3097887

Obituary Tasha Lavigne


LAVIGNE, Tasha - Passed away at Campbellford, Ontario, Sunday, April 24, 2011 at the age of 16. Tasha was the loved daughter of Cindy and the late Yves Lavigne and dear sister of Jessica and Rebecca Lavigne. Family and friends may pay their respects at McGUINTY FUNERAL HOME, Friday from 10:00 until time of service at 11:15 a.m. in the McGuinty Funeral Home chapel. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery. As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Humane Society would be gratefully appreciated by the family. SignGuestBook/Condolences/Donations www.mcguintyfuneralhome.com

http://yourlifemoments.ca/sitepages/obituary.asp?oId=492890

'No anatomical cause' in teen's death
May 2, 2011

CAMPBELLFORD -Police are continuing their criminal investigation into the "unexpected" death of a teenager found in a Campbellford bed and breakfast on April 24.

Northumberland OPP Crime Unit Detective Constable Jamil Ali said a post mortem performed at the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto last Tuesday determined "there was no anatomical cause" in the death of 16-year-old Tasha Lavigne.

Lavigne was found dead at the Emilyville Bed and Breakfast on Grand Road in Campbellford on Sunday, April 24.

Police have revealed that Lavigne was a ward of the Children's Aid Society. Her mother, who is not from the area, was staying at the bed and breakfast with her daughter.

The business's website states the bed and breakfast has five themed rooms, with twin and queen beds available. Rooms range from $80 to $125.

Although police wouldn't confirm, reports indicate the group home at which Lavigne had been staying, and the bed and breakfast are owned by the same individual.

Ali said toxicology results on the teen could take a number of weeks.

"I spoke to the pathologist and asked him to put a rush on the report, but that still means weeks," Ali said.

"The toxicology will say how much alcohol or drugs, or both, if any, and that will guide us."

Though an inquest is a normal course of action for the death of a child in the care of the Children's Aid Society, Ali said the decision is up to the Coroner's office.

It is believed that there is no risk to public safety and police are seeking any assistance from members of the public who might have information that could assist in this investigation.

A funeral service for Lavigne was held on Friday.

On the funeral home's guest book a message from someone in Cambridge stated, "Tasha was an amazing young woman and touched many peoples hearts, especially mine. I know that they say she is in a better place but I wish we could be selfish and have her still with us. I feel deeply for your loss and my prayers are with you."

Lavigne was the daughter of Cindy and the late Yves Lavigne. She is also survived by her two sisters, Jessica and Rebecca Lavigne.

http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3104052

POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE DEATH
May 4, 2011



On April 24th, 2011 members from the Northumberland Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were called to 60 Grand Road in the town of Campbellford, regarding a death investigation. Tasha LAVIGNE, 16 years of age, from Campbellford was pronounced dead at this location and an investigation into the circumstances around her death began.

A post mortem examination was conducted on April 26th, 2011 at the Office of the Chief Coroner, Toronto. Information related to the cause of death is pending toxicological results from the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto.

The investigation is continuing by members of the Northumberland Crime Unit under the direction of Detective Inspector Paul McCrickard from the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) of the OPP.

Police are asking anyone with information relating to this incident to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous and does not subscribe to call display. You will not testify in court and you maybe eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.

http://www.northumberlandview.ca/index.php?module=news&func=display&sid=8063

Woman admits role in daughter's death
October 28, 2011

Considering the relationship she had with her own mother was more as a friend than a parent, defence counsel Corbin Cawkell said, Cindy Lavigne's relationship with her own daughter may not be surprising.

But the drugs and alcohol the North Bay woman shared with her daughter and friends in Campbellford last April had tragic consequences.

In the Ontario Court of Justice in Cobourg on Friday, Lavigne offered a guilty plea to manslaughter in the death of her 16-year-old daughter Tasha on April 23, at a time when the girl was a ward of the Children's Aid Society living in a Campbellford group home.

Justice Rhys Morgan agreed to the joint submission of defence and Crown that Lavigne be sentenced to three years plus time served.

Lavigne, 46, sobbed as she offered her guilty plea, and periodically during the recounting of the facts of this case.

Crown attorney David Thompson said that Lavigne had travelled by bus to Peterborough April 22 for a planned unsupervised visit with Tasha. Both had a history of substance abuse, and Lavigne was participating in a methadone program at the time. She had with her five 85-ml. bottles of methadone she'd received from her pharmacist the day before, given to her on the understanding that she alone would consume them at the rate of one a day.

Tasha arrived at the bus station with a friend and an employee from her group home to pick up her mother. The friend later told police that, when she arrived, Lavigne and the teenagers went to the washroom. There, Lavigne showed her daughter the bottle she identified as methadone. She allowed both young people a drink of it.

Lavigne and her daughter were taken to a bed-and-breakfast, where she'd reserved a room for the weekend.

At 12:40 p.m. the next day, they purchased a 750-ml. bottle of vodka and five cans of beer, an act recorded on the LCBO's security footage.

Later, they were joined in their room by three of Tasha's young friends from the group home, including the teenager who had been with them at the bus station. She told police the young people proceeded to consume the alcohol with Lavigne, who would later produce the methadone. She even sold one of the bottles to one of the teens for $20, and they passed it around.

When one teen hesitated to try it, Lavigne urged the others not to pressure him, saying, "That sh**will kill you."

"Tasha appeared to suffer some type of seizure during the early evening. She appeared to lose consciousness for a period of time, and there was talk about calling an ambulance," Thompson said.

No one summoned help, and Tasha regained consciousness.

Their company left about 9:30 p.m., and mother and daughter retired shortly afterwards.

At10:38 a.m. April 24, Lavigne awoke and discovered Tasha had no vital signs. She summoned police and emergency workers, who found the girl dead with no external signs of significant trauma.

When police interviewed Lavigne, she admitted providing the alcohol but refused to answer questions about methadone. She admitted Tasha had seemed to be in obvious distress and that she had not sought help.

A search warrant was executed on the room. Two empty methadone bottles, one partially full methadone bottle — all prescribed to Lavigne — and an almost-empty vodka bottle were recovered.

On May 11, another teen from the group home gave a statement that she had prior knowledge of Lavigne supplying methadone to Tasha. She'd called North Bay Children's Aid Society prior to Lavigne's visit to give an anonymous tip. North Bay Children's Aid acknowledged receiving the call.

On May 17, Lavigne's doctor provided a statement saying he had given her very clear instructions on the dangers of methadone and of sharing it with others. He said it should be treated like a loaded gun.

On May 18, Tasha's older sister Jessica said her mother had admitted giving Tasha and her friends methadone and alcohol on April 23.

On June 1, a pathologist's report on a post-mortem exam was made available, along with results of toxicology testing. Death was attributed to acute methadone toxicity.

On June 20, Lavigne was arrested in Nipissing.

There is a prior criminal record that includes several assaults and a drug-trafficking charge, Thompson said.

He also pointed out that Lavigne's actions took the life of a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, a young woman to whom Lavigne had a duty as a mother.

"It's even more distressing, I submit, that for at least one of the bottles she received a $20 fee for its purchase, as if this was a commercial transaction," Thompson added.

"Compounding that breach of trust was her failure to seek medical attention or alert other individuals who were responsible for her when her daughter was in distress Saturday evening, suffering a seizure and losing consciousness. It suggests an effort to hide her own complicity in her unlawful conduct."

Thompson did give Lavigne credit for a relatively early guilty plea, however, which spared the witnesses — many of them young people with challenges of their own — having to testify.

Cawkell said his client has a Grade 8 education and comes from what he termed a tough environment — a father who kicked her out of the house regularly from the time she was eight, a mother who was more pal than parent. She lived on the streets after age 13.

Along with Jessica, 27, Lavigne has another daughter — a 22-year-old who is also struggling with drug addiction.

The death of her fiance two years ago led to a period of instability. She couldn't afford the home they had made, so she went to live with her parents and Tasha became a CAS ward.

She has been diagnosed with a number of mental-health issues, including bipolar disorder, manic-depression, anxiety disorder and personality disorder. She has been on a disability pension for about seven years, prior to which she was on social assistance.

Lavigne has made efforts to clean up, Cawkell said, going completely off drugs and alcohol. She is in a supportive relationship with a reformed criminal who helped her get off methadone.

She is also struggling with remorse. Quoting a letter she wrote, Cawkell said she had lost a piece of herself when she lost her beautiful, smart, funny daughter. She has a hole in her heart, the letter said, and she prays for Tasha daily.

As Justice Morgan reviewed the facts of the case, Lavigne sobbed when he came to the cause of Tasha's death. Indeed, the judge said, Lavigne will serve her own life sentence of grief.

Though he has latitude to impose his own sentence, Morgan agreed with the three-years-plus-time-served joint submission of Crown and defence.

Lavigne is also subject to a DNA order and a lifetime weapons prohibition.


http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3350833