It was at 4:45 a.m. on a chilly Monday last month when Toronto police knocked on the front door of a home on St. Clarens Ave., responding to a report of an emotionally disturbed woman threatening suicide.
By approximately 5 a.m., Amleset Haile — a 60-year-old resident of the building, a Houselink home for people with mental health or addiction challenges — was wheeled out on a stretcher from the narrow walkway between two houses, unmoving, her neck in a brace.
Two days later, she died in hospital after being taken off life support.
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which probes deaths and serious injuries involving police, is investigating the January 2 incident. The watchdog has not identified Haile, citing its policy not to name those killed in police interactions without family consent; the Star has independently confirmed her identity.
Six weeks after her death, friends and neighbours of the quiet, affectionate Ethiopia native — a woman they say was struggling with mental illness and dementia — are growing eager to learn what transpired in the final moments before Haile suffered fatal injuries.
Shortly after the incident, paramedics said they transported a woman to a trauma centre who had suffered life-threatening injuries “as the result of a fall,” and police and paramedics initially reported the woman fell from a window — something the SIU would not confirm.
Jennifer Cox, Haile’s friend and a fellow resident in the building who witnessed part of the incident, is awaiting the SIU’s conclusion, saying the full picture of what occurred has not yet come out.
“Other than the four police officers who were there, it’s Amleset and God who know what happened,” said Cox. “She’s not here to tell her story, so this is why we really want to push and know.”
According to the SIU’s brief description of the interaction, Toronto police arrived at the home on a quiet residential street near Bloor St. W. and Lansdowne Ave. at 4:45 a.m.
“A short time later, police officers located a 60-year-old woman between the residence and another house,” reads a news release.
In an email this week, SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon said she could not clarify whether Haile was injured before or after police found her, citing legislation prohibiting any public statement about the investigation during the course of the probe.
“In order to protect the integrity of the investigation into the woman’s death, I cannot offer further comment,” Hudon said in an email.
Toronto police cannot comment on an ongoing SIU investigation. However, a police source with knowledge of the investigation said officers heard a “thunk” and found Haile after she had jumped or fallen from some height, and that she had no contact with officers prior to incurring her injuries.
A neighbour who lives next door to the home where Haile lived also heard a “thunk” sound, and said Haile was found close to the property line with Haile’s three-story building.
In an interview this week, Cox, Haile’s friend, said she witnessed part of the incident and believes Haile was afraid and running away from police at the time. She expressed doubt that Haile could have jumped from either a window or the building’s third floor balcony, saying she was frail and weak and would have had difficulty lifting herself up.
Cox says she was in bed when she heard knocking on the front door before 5 a.m. She then heard someone, who she now believes was Haile, walk past her room on the second floor and go downstairs, presumably to answer the door.
But the knocking didn’t stop, so Cox went downstairs and opened the door to find four police officers and a paramedic, saying they were looking for Haile. She said police had been summoned by a friend of Haile’s who had been on the phone with Haile shortly before and had grown concerned her friend might harm herself.
Police came inside the building and began searching for Haile, Cox said. But she believes by that time, Haile had already gone out the back door, which was open.
She said she told officers that it seemed Haile had gone out the back, so they went outside the look. Between five to 10 minutes later, officers came back inside and reported that Haile had been located and was injured, Cox said.
A short time later, Cox said she saw Haile being carried out on a stretcher, unmoving and wearing a neck brace — “unfortunately it seemed like the life was being taken from her right there.”
Cox described Haile as a sweet woman who was suffering from dementia and was acting increasingly “erratic.” Haile would often come for a visit in Cox’s apartment, say goodbye, then re-enter moments later, apparently unaware that she had just left.
Cox wonders if the incident could have ended differently if a mental health professional could have responded to the call instead of police.
Toronto police does have roving units called Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams (MCIT), consisting of a specially trained police officer and a mental-health nurse.
Despite repeated coroner’s inquest recommendations, the teams are not available 24-hours a day. None are available between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Toronto police did recently alter the hours of operation to ensure availability during peak times, typically midday and late afternoon. The service has also invited all officers to attend MCIT training, with the aim to increase the number of trained officers available during the hours when MCIT is not.
Toronto police say expanding the hours of the MCITs are remain a “live issue.”
Steve Lurie, executive director of the Toronto branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, said there should continue to be a push to expand the hours of specialized mental health units.
“If the call was ‘we think someone is suicidal,’ it makes more sense to bring mental health professionals to bear if they are available,” Lurie said in an interview.
Haile had many friends in Toronto but had no family in Canada. Earlier this month, Houselink held a memorial her, where she was remembered for her kindness and her love of hugs and Ethiopian cuisine — which she affectionately called “my country” food.
Last week, a memorial was also held by Sistering, an organization for homeless and low-income Toronto women. Haile had been a long-time member of Sistering, well-loved by other woman and by staff, said executive director Patricia O’Connell.
“She was just was a really solid member of the Sistering community,” she said. “She will be remembered as kind, generous, very gentle, a really good friend.”
Wendy Gillis can be reached at wgillis@thestar.ca
Wendy Gillis can be reached at wgillis@thestar.ca
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