‘Loving mother of four’, Winnipeg police say, dead from homicide to be mourned at somber candlelight vigil

The life of Briannah Clowes, a mother of four, who was killed last week in what police believe was a homicide, was honored at a somber vigil with members of her family calling for answers and justice in her death.

Dozens, including Clowes’ 11-year-old son, gathered outside in the 100 block of The Promenade Tuesday evening for a candlelight vigil to mourn her loss.

The site of the ceremony, a main road just north of the Portage Place shopping center, was where Winnipeg police said they found the 28-year-old woman unconscious and with life-threatening injuries on the afternoon of Oct. 31.

Clowes was taken to hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

“She was an honourable, beautiful person with a kind soul, she was a loving mother of four children who did not deserve what happened to her,” Shauna Clowes, Briannah’s sister, told CBC News.

Clowes became a young mother at age 16, her sister said, and then graduated from high school and then enrolled at Red River College, where she became a health care assistant.

“She had goals and ambitions for the future, she wanted the best for herself and for her children… and she was brutally stripped of that,” her sister said.

Shauna said she last spoke to her sister about a month ago. It was a short conversation, but she now said that “the simple things are so important” to her.

“These little memories with her, even just walking down the street… just come back to me.”

‘She changed everyone’s lives’: Clowes’ former partner

Kasandra Flett, the aunt of Clowes’ eldest child, said she faced many challenges growing up, but she “fought against them and improved herself” and worked her way up to become part of the St. Boniface team Hospital.

“We’re having a vigil to remember her as a person… no matter what path she took in life, we want to remember her life,” Flett said.

A group of women attended the vigil, including mothers, hugged Clowes’ 11-year-old son while playing drums and singing prayers.

Red and pink roses, which some attendees at the vigil held, were placed on the ground in front of a sign with images of Clowes and her family, lit by the flames of several white candles.

Daniel Flett, Clowes’ former partner and father of their 11-year-old son, was at the wake and said Briannah will be remembered as a wonderful, caring mother, who “found the good in everything” and “always strove to ‘. excellence.”

“It’s a pretty traumatic loss… you think it could never happen to your loved ones,” he said.

“I experience a lot of sadness, a lot of sadness, but I have to stay strong for my son and for the rest of the family.”

Clowes’ ex-partner had known her for about 12 years and they last saw each other about a month ago.

“She changed everyone’s lives,” he said. “If I had known how she would have ended up here, I probably would have done what I could to try to get her out of this situation and make sure this never happened to her.”

Man was changed by murder in the second degree

Ryan John Kennedy, 32, was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with Clowes’ death. According to the police, the two were known to each other, but the police do not want to say what kind of relationship they had.

Clowes’ family also doesn’t know how the two met or why she was at The Promenade on Halloween, but they are looking for answers in her death.

“What’s so important that you have to kill someone? Why was her life taken at a young age, 28 years old? Why did he think it’s okay to kill her?” Clowes’ sister asked.

“People who were brutally murdered innocently… there must be justice.”

Kasandra Flett said the family is now demanding justice, especially for her children, the youngest of whom will grow up without a memory of their mother.

“No one should take anyone’s life,” she said.

But her family said as they seek justice for her death, they want people to remember Clowes for the person she was and not for how her life ended.

“Her kindness, she was generous, she had so much love for her children, she cared deeply… her cheeky smile that she always had and the sparkle in her eyes,” Kasandra Flett said. “We want her memory to be remembered that way.”