Tanya Nepinak's aunt apologizes to victims' family after nieces charged in homicide
Sue Caribou, aunt of Candice and Vanessa Nepinak, apologizes to family of Cynthia French
The aunt of two Winnipeg sisters accused of stabbing a pregnant woman to death earlier this week says the women's arrest is the latest in a series of family tragedies.
Sue Caribou publicly apologized on Friday to the family of Cynthia Marie French, 35, who died after she was stabbed at a William Avenue rooming house on Tuesday.
French's neighbour has said the slain woman was pregnant and was due to give birth soon. Her 36-year-old sister was also stabbed, but she survived the attack.
Caribou's nieces Candice Nora Nepinak, 31, and Vanessa Louise Nepinak, 35, are both charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder in connection with the incident, which is the city's first homicide of 2016.
"People are saying that my family should have asked for help. But my family has been asking for help. All these years we've been asking for help and nobody has heard our voices and still today. No one is responding to our calls."
Caribou said "there's been a lot of trauma in my family for the last few years," including the disappearance of the accused women's sister, 31-year-old Tanya Nepinak, who went missing in 2011.
Winnipeg police have said they believe Tanya Nepinak is dead, but her body has never been found.
"Nobody has bothered to continue to search for my niece Tanya. Us family have taken upon ourselves to continue to search for her … searching outside of the city," Caribou said.
Caribou added that a number of family members have died in recent years, including the Nepinaks' father and uncle. She added that she has her own issues, but she's put them aside to help her family.
"My family doesn't even have time to heal already," she said.
Caribou said she is seeking help for her sister — the Nepinaks' mother — and her family.
"I hope this time they hear my voice."