Death at Tichborne – Debra Teal dies after being dropped off at her home by OPP – SIU investigating

Jeff Green | Jan 17, 2018

49 year old Debra Anne Hill (Teal) was found by her son in-law Owen Young early on Saturday morning outside of her home on Steele Road near Tichborne, and was declared deceased by Emergency Srevices personnel a short time later. As reported in the OPP and Special Investigation Unit (SIU) releases reprinted below, there had been unusual circumstances late on the evening before she died.

A query by The News to the SIU regarding cause of death after a post-mortem reportedly took place on Monday, led to the following response from Monica Hudon, Communications co-ordinator with the SIU: “The results of a post-mortem are considered evidence. The SIU does not comment on, confirm, or share any specific evidence the Unit may have gathered during the course of its investigation until the investigation is completed.”

There is no information available about how long that investigation will take.

Here is the OPP release from Saturday.

OPP Investigate Death - SIU Invoke Mandate

Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Frontenac Detachment, along with the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), are currently investigating the death of a 49-year-old female in South Frontenac Township.

In the early morning hours of January 13, 2018, officers had provided assistance to this female. Shortly before 9 a.m., Emergency Medical Services contacted the OPP for assistance for a sudden death in South Frontenac Township.

The OPP has notified the province's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) which has invoked its mandate. As a result the OPP will not be able to provide any further information.

The Special Investigation Unit then put out the following release on Sunday, January 14.

At approximately 1 a.m. on Saturday, January 13, 2018, Ontario Provincial Police officers came across a suspicious vehicle in the Frontenac area. The driver fled on foot, but police encountered a woman outside of the vehicle. The officers transported her to her residence and left.

At approximately 5:30 a.m., emergency responders attended the woman’s residence. She was found deceased.

At this time, two investigators and one forensic investigator have been assigned to this incident. The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must

• consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation.
• depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate, or close the file without any charges being laid.
• report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.

In the meantime, Debra Teal’s husband Kevin and three children, Jesse, Chantel and Frank, as well as father in law Levi, have organised a celebration of her life is set for the Oso Hall on Saturday from noon to 3pm.

Debbie Teal will be missed by the local community and in nearby Sharbot Lake, where she worked for a number of years at the Sharbot Lake Senior’s Home before it closed. She then took a job with the Rainbow Valley Group Home. She also provided care for ailing family members.

Related: Rampant vandalism on Bob’s Lake.