Brennan Ahenakew-Johnstone was 20-years-old when his remains were found on May 10, 2018. (Facebook)

By Ian Gustafson

Coroners Inquest

Witness testimony heard at Brennan Ahenakew-Johnstone inquest

Aug 23, 2021 | 6:22 PM

The first witnesses have testified at the public inquest into the death of 20-year old Brennan Ahenakew-Johnstone in Prince Albert.

Ahenakew-Johnstone’s body was found in a burnt car on the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation on May 10, 2018. The coroner and RCMP previously determined the death was accidental and that he died from smoke inhalation and burns from a single vehicle collision and fire. However, Brennan’s mother Lisa Johnstone believes foul play was involved in the death of her son.

The inquest is expected to go all week long with 17 or more witnesses testifying. Destiny Knife from Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation was among the first to take the stand. Knife, who only knew Ahenakew-Johnstone as an acquaintance, told the jury she was outside that morning and saw smoke. She did not see the vehicle on fire, but did see a nearby bush that was burning and grass fires are not uncommon on the reserve. But she also heard something that scared her.

“I could hear screaming,” Knife said. “Like somebody was in pain and they were crying for help.”

She said she also heard an explosion and thinks, in hindsight, it may have been a tire exploding from the heat of the fire.

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Also at the inquest was Kerry Neyneecassum who was the first person to find Ahenakew-Johnstone deceased. Her sons happened to be friends with him. She said she saw thick white smoke through her window but didn’t see the vehicle on fire. She too thought it could be a grassfire. Later in the day, she heard there was a burnt vehicle and she went to investigate with her friends. After seeing a body in the driver’s seat, she immediately called 9-1-1.

“When I looked in there his body was, the car seat was put down. He was laying there because if someone put the car seat down,” she said.

She told those she was with that there was a body and not to approach the burnt car.

“I didn’t want them seeing what I seen,” she explained.

The purpose of the inquest is not to place blame, but rather to determine who died and when, where and how it happened. At the end, the coroner’s jury can make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.

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Ian.Gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12