Heather Winterstein died in a St. Catharines hospital waiting room 4 years ago. Her Indigenous family still wants answers

Heather Winterstein’s family and friends have been counting the days since she died alone and unattended in a waiting room of St. Catharines’ hospital four years ago.

It has been 18 months since a coroner’s inquest was called into the Dec. 10, 2021, death of the 24-year-old woman.

Alex Jamieson, Indigenous health-care relations manager at Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle in Thorold, said Winterstein’s family asked him to advocate on their behalf.

“The family counts the days. You can see it on their Facebook posts. It’s very draining and trying for the family and I really think the Indigenous community has little to no confidence in the Canadian health-care system and that there will be true accountability and responsibility taken for this tragedy,” Jamieson said.

Winterstein, who died