SeanAshi
03-11-2004, 12:05 AM
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Human remains may have been in meat processed for human consumption at a pig farm that has been the site of an extensive investigation into Canada's worst serial killing case, British Columbia's provincial health officer said Wednesday.
"What I know from the RCMP is we can't rule out the possibility of cross-contamination," Dr. Perry Kendall said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
When asked if cross-contamination meant human remains found their way into meat processed at the farm, Kendall said: "It's very disturbing to think about, but (there is) the possibility of some cross-contamination. But the degree of it or when or how much we really don't know."
"I think if we could rule it out, we definitely would like to," he added.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (search) investigators have found the remains of 22 women at the suburban farm owned by Robert William Pickton (search), 54, who has been charged with 15 counts of first-degree murder in the disappearances of women over the past 20 years. Police said earlier this year they expected additional charges against Pickton.
Many of the victims vanished from Vancouver's drug-infested downtown eastside. In all, 31 women have been confirmed dead in the case.
The investigation into the case was ignited by a police raid on the farm owned by Pickton and his brother and sister in Port Coquitlam, east of Vancouver, on Feb. 6, 2002. Police wrapped up the bulk of their investigation at the site last November.
Kendall said he was asked by Health Canada to do a "worst-case assessment" and to look into the health risk from consumption from the farm's slaughterhouse.
"There's a very low risk of any human disease being transmitted in that fashion," Kendall said.
Pickton is not expected to go to trial until late this year or early in 2005.
Cpl. Catherine Galliford of the Missing Women's Task Force (search) would not confirm or deny Kendall's information.
Police scheduled a news conference for late Wednesday afternoon.
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"What I know from the RCMP is we can't rule out the possibility of cross-contamination," Dr. Perry Kendall said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
When asked if cross-contamination meant human remains found their way into meat processed at the farm, Kendall said: "It's very disturbing to think about, but (there is) the possibility of some cross-contamination. But the degree of it or when or how much we really don't know."
"I think if we could rule it out, we definitely would like to," he added.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (search) investigators have found the remains of 22 women at the suburban farm owned by Robert William Pickton (search), 54, who has been charged with 15 counts of first-degree murder in the disappearances of women over the past 20 years. Police said earlier this year they expected additional charges against Pickton.
Many of the victims vanished from Vancouver's drug-infested downtown eastside. In all, 31 women have been confirmed dead in the case.
The investigation into the case was ignited by a police raid on the farm owned by Pickton and his brother and sister in Port Coquitlam, east of Vancouver, on Feb. 6, 2002. Police wrapped up the bulk of their investigation at the site last November.
Kendall said he was asked by Health Canada to do a "worst-case assessment" and to look into the health risk from consumption from the farm's slaughterhouse.
"There's a very low risk of any human disease being transmitted in that fashion," Kendall said.
Pickton is not expected to go to trial until late this year or early in 2005.
Cpl. Catherine Galliford of the Missing Women's Task Force (search) would not confirm or deny Kendall's information.
Police scheduled a news conference for late Wednesday afternoon.
http://www.dallasdancemusic.com/forums/images/smilies/puke.gif