Family mourns Wolastoqey woman who was victim of homicide in Oromocto First Nation
A Wolastoqey woman who was the victim of a homicide Saturday is being remembered by family as a caring, intelligent person who displayed strength even in the face of immense grief.
Nieces, nephews and cousins sat around a sacred fire outside a home in Oromocto First Nation on Wednesday, passing around an eagle feather and taking turns talking about Sheri Lynn Sabattis, the impact she had on their lives, and the void her death has left in the community.
"My mother was a very caring person. She loved her family so much," said her daughter, Kyla Sabattis.
"My mom didn't deserve this at all, she really didn't ... We want justice."
Relatives of Sheri Lynn Sabattis sit and talk around a sacred fire that was lit in her memory at a home in Oromocto First Nation. Pictured from the left are Dymond Sabattis, Desirae Sabattis, Kyla Sabattis and Aubrey Landry. (Aidan Cox/CBC)
On Saturday, barely more than a week after Sheri Lynn celebrated her 54th birthday, her body was found inside a home in Oromocto First Nation, about 24 kilometres east of Fredericton.
RCMP say officers responded to a call about the homicide at 12:30 p.m. that day and later arrested and charged 38-year-old Jared Smith with second-degree murder in connection with her death.
A once-grieving mother
Wednesday's gathering took place at the home of Sheri Lynn's father, which for years has been the "family pillar house," where countless Easter and Christmas parties have been held, said Dymond Sabattis, her niece.
It's also been the gathering place for the family during difficult times, especially following the death of Sheri Lynn's daughter, Jade Sabattis.
WATCH | 'She was loved … She was loved so much':
Jade died in March 2017, and her family have maintained their belief she was the victim of foul play, though police say that wasn't the case.
"When my cousin Jade died in 2017, it was a hard hit for the community, a hard hit for my family," said Dymond.
"My aunty Sheri — her kids are her life. They're her everything, and we had to be there for her, and we were there for her until, you know, she's gone today."
Dymond Sabattis said the death of her aunt's daughter, Jade Sabattis, was a difficult time for Sheri Lynn and the rest of the family. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
Kyla said after her sister Jade's death, her mother was never the same.
"There's a big part of her that was lost after that," she said.
"I just hope they're together. They're happy."
Someone who showed resilience
Even in the face of her daughter's unexpected death, Sheri Lynn did her best to stay strong, said Allan Sabattis, her nephew.
He said for a while, she worked directly with the community's elders, who came to love her for the way she treated them.
Then, up until her death, she worked in the community's food bank, where she always made sure residents had food.
"She experienced so much trauma and even with all of that, she was such a strong, powerful, happy person," Allan said.
"She went through hell and back, and she still got up every single day and inspired people."
