This Article Contains Details That Some Readers May Find Disturbing

The wake will be held today for another inmate at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary.

31-year-old Greg Pike of Harbour Grace was found unresponsive in his cell late last week.

He died in hospital three days later.

But, his sister is making it clear that her big brother will not have died in vain.

Courtney Pike says it was the vague government statement about her brother’s death that initially set her off.

She wants everyone to know that Greg hanged himself while his cellmate was out cold on sleeping pills.

She also wants everyone to know he suffered from mental illness and drug addiction, was no angel, and should’ve been at the Waterford, not the Pen.

In handwritten notes, Pike himself called out the system, including a prison doctor, for contributing to his previous suicide attempts, and for failing him and others who suffer from addictions and mental illness.

In fact, the lack of help for addictions and mental health was a key finding of the most recent review of correctional facilities in 2019.

In a statement to VOCM, government says at least half of the report’s recommendations are in place or close to it.

Courtney, meanwhile, wants to get through the wake today and funeral tomorrow, before talking about her brother on the radio.

According to the province, Greg Pike was the 12th inmate to die in the custody of corrections since 2004.

Courtney says she wants to prevent number 13 from happening, adding her brother’s death will mean nothing if nothing changes.