A woman in her 90s has passed away after being discovered outside her seniors’ residence on January 1 in Lac-au-Saumon, situated in Quebec’s Lower Saint-Lawrence region. The deceased was a resident at Domaine Lac-au-Saumon, a privately-owned seniors’ facility. Authorities mentioned that the woman was found outside in a critical condition at 8:00 a.m., and despite efforts by emergency responders to revive her, she succumbed to her injuries at a hospital. The provincial police have initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, with plans for an autopsy in progress. Marythé Bolduc, a spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec, stated that all potential factors are being examined.
The director of the seniors’ residence, France Lepage, expressed deep sorrow, mentioning, “In 28 years, I’ve never encountered such a tragic event.” She further shared her thoughts, saying, “Since it happened, it’s just been playing over and over in my head, and we’re here to support the family… it’s a challenging situation, you can imagine.” Lepage, who also serves as the head nurse at the facility, revealed that the deceased had resided in the autonomous wing of the residence for nearly two years, where residents have the freedom to move around as they please. She assured that the establishment has a cutting-edge security system that complies with all regulatory standards, noting that individuals with cognitive impairments or at risk of wandering wear special bracelets to restrict their movements. Lepage also confirmed that the residence has provided law enforcement with access to all surveillance recordings for their investigation.