(WHDH) — Police in Canada issued an apology Thursday afternoon for throwing the burnt body of a woman in a dumpster after mistaking her for a mannequin in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
Firefighters responding to a small brush fire near a factory on Cabana Street on July 23 around 10 a.m. met with witnesses who said someone had lit a silicone mannequin on fire, Sherbrooke Police Chief Danny McConnell said during a press conference reported by the CBC.
Police were called in for assistance and following a discussion between the two departments, McConnell said they decided to dispose of the suspected mannequin in the dumpster at the Sherbrooke police service.
About four hours later, a man filed a missing person report for his partner, the news company reported.
Police tracked the woman’s cellphone signal to her car, which was parked near the site of the fire.
Officers pulled what they thought was the mannequin from the dumpster and were able to identify it as the body of the missing woman, McConnell said.
“We are obviously sorry about this situation and rest assured the family is being advised about every key detail of this investigation,” McConnell said. “Our hearts are with the family, her partner and the kids in this very tragic situation.”
An investigation remains ongoing.
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