Their dad died but Toronto police didn't tell them. They want to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else
CBC
James Taylor hadn't heard from his father, Douglas Taylor, 66, for more than a week, which wasn't uncommon. So when he went to check in and visit him on Feb. 23, he didn't suspect anything serious was wrong.
But when he got to his dad's Toronto apartment unit, there was a police seal on the door that read: Do not break without authorization.
Panicked and confused, he called his wife, Alexandra Taylor, who called building staff to ask why the unit was sealed. That's how the family learned their father had died 11 days prior.
"It's just disrespectful to him because he's there in a freezer just waiting and here we are unaware," James said.
A police report obtained by the family through a freedom of information request shows investigators had James and his sister, Christine Taylor, listed as their father's next of kin.
Officers ran their cellphone numbers through internal databases and an online business directory, but nothing came up. It appears there were no other attempts by police to contact them after that, according to the report.
"Everyone hopes to be able to live with dignity but also have dignity in death," Christine said. "I think this felt for all of us that that was kind of stripped away from him."
After a handful of conversations with police, the family says they are still unable to get answers about why they weren't notified. So they sent a letter to the Toronto Police Service on April 4 outlining possible legal action, though the family says they have no plans to move forward with that at this point. They just want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else.
When contacted by CBC, Toronto police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer said the service can't comment because of the letter sent by the family.
"We extend our condolences to the family and loved ones for their loss," Sayer said.
Taylor was found dead by a neighbour on Feb. 12 in his unit at Ray McCleary Towers — a financially assisted housing complex for seniors in Toronto's east end run by social services agency WoodGreen Community Services.
Police found no signs of foul play and a coroner determined he died of natural causes, according to the police report.
The report says "a search of the apartment did not yield any useful next of kin information." Taylor's family says photos of him with his children and grandchildren were displayed in the apartment, which should have been a clue he had family active in his life.
The report goes on to say the apartment was sealed and a WoodGreen employee provided Taylor's next of kin information to officers.
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