‘Her death was preventable’: Family, Indigenous advocates say warning signs were missed leading to death of expecting mother

A framed photo of Jaali Weenie-Sutherland was on display during a press conference where her family members called for an independent investigation into her death. (CTV News)

A grieving family believes their daughter could still be alive if doctors had recognized the warning signs of a serious pregnancy complication sooner.

Expecting mother, Jaali Weenie-Sutherland died on April 26 at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon, after being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, according to her family members.

Her family, along with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) are calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the pregnant woman’s death.

Weenie-Sutherland, 24, went to hospital with pain and difficulty breathing. Her family says the soon-to-be mother thought she was in labour. She was also coughing up blood.

She was transported to a Saskatoon hospital, where her family says she waited around 13 hours in an observation room before she was sent to the labour and delivery ward. Two hours later, Weenie-Sutherland was dead, according to her family.

“Her death was preventable,” family spokesperson, Jaye Cameron told media at a press conference.

In a statement to CTV News, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said any maternal death during labour or delivery is immediately investigated as a critical incident. The process is underway, but the SHA said it could not comment on specific clinical details.

Pre-eclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication that affects around three per cent of pregnancies in Canada, according to a 2024 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Based on the study, pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are on the rise. HDP is the leading cause of severe maternal morbidity and causes more than 50,000 maternal deaths worldwide, every year.

Cameron says Weenie-Sutherland’s concerns were not taken seriously and health-care workers were slow to act, despite pleas from her mother, sister, and partner.

“This is not an isolated tragedy. Indigenous women continue to face systematic barriers in health care,” Cameron said. “Their symptoms are too often minimized.”

Weenie-Sutherland’s family and the FSIN want to see accountability from the hospital, along with strengthened maternal health protocols and system-wide reforms to ensure Indigenous women are properly treated.

The SHA said it has met with the family, and members of the SHA’s First Nations and Metis Health Team are assisting with culturally respectful and compassionate communication.

“The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) extends our sincere condolences to the family and community following the loss of a mother during childbirth earlier this year. This is a profound and tragic loss,” the statement said. “We are committed to continuing to engage directly with the family as the review progresses.”

‘I’ll forever take care of our daughter’

Weenie-Sutherland’s newborn daughter survived the complications.

The father, Blayne Morin, said he and Weenie-Sutherland were looking forward to becoming first-time parents together.

“We planned so much for our baby before she made her appearance,” Morin said. “We didn’t want her to grow up like we did.”

Morin said they wanted to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma and incorporate cultural teachings and practices into their daughter’s upbringing.

He says he still plans to take his daughter to powwows and other ceremonies.

“I’ll forever take care of our daughter, showing her that love and care that you (Jaali) showed me, and everybody else that came across you,” he said.

Morin said he’ll remember Weenie-Sutherland for her smile, jokes, and big heart.

“She would always be there to give a listening ear when her family or friends were going through something,” he said.

Weenie-Sutherland was supposed to be graduating from university with her social work degree next month. Instead, her sister will walk across the stage to receive her degree.

Morin says he hopes changes can be made within the health-care system, so no other family has to go through what he’s experiencing.