Coroner Examines Circumstances Surrounding Family Tragedy
A provincial coroner’s inquest opened this week to examine the deaths of four family members discovered in their Prince Rupert residence in June 2023. Proceedings began with testimony detailing the family’s urgent pleas for protection days before their bodies were found.
Fleeing Vehicles and Fatal Concerns
According to official testimony, police encountered an abandoned Mercedes SUV packed with luggage and cash in the early hours of June 10, 2023. The vehicle’s owners, Janet Nguyen and Christopher Duong—both in their thirties—later returned to the scene, telling officers they believed assassins were pursuing them.
Testimony revealed Duong had previous contact with law enforcement and was allegedly connected to regional drug trafficking operations. Officers detained Duong under mental health provisions while Nguyen and their two young children, aged four and two, were escorted home.
Contradictory Testimony Emerges
Three days after the roadside incident, authorities discovered all four family members deceased inside their residence. Medical testimony indicated Duong suffered significant brain trauma from a 2022 vehicle collision, while court records presented to jurors described civil forfeiture proceedings against the couple initiated by provincial authorities in 2016.
Inquest counsel pressed police witnesses about why child protection authorities weren’t immediately involved given the perceived threats. Constable Jason Kettle testified investigators found no corroborating evidence of external threats beyond the family’s statements.
Inquest Continues with Key Testimony
The proceedings are scheduled to hear from death investigation specialists and child welfare officials throughout the week. Provincial documents entered into evidence characterize Duong as an alleged violent drug trafficker, while medical professionals described his documented neurological challenges.
Jurors must reconcile conflicting narratives about whether criminal associations or health complications contributed to the family’s demise. The coroner’s court continues hearing evidence through Friday to determine the circumstances surrounding one of Prince Rupert’s most perplexing tragedies.
