Fake Kijiji ads offer crosses from Barton jail memorial to burn

A series of fake Kijiji ads offered to give away crosses from a memorial at Barton jail and encouraged takers to burn the remembrances to inmates who died of overdoses.

“These crosses signify the many men and women of society’s underbelly who are taking a dirt nap due to their unwavering addiction to self destruction,” states one of the ads which has since been removed.

“They were created by the meth loving families of the dirtbags they represent,” states another.

One of the 15 crosses has gone missing, although it’s unknown if it’s related to the ads which came to the attention of family members Friday night.

“I was angry and hurt,” said Amy McKechnie whose brother Ryan McKechnie died June 2017. “It’s disrespectful and disgusting. The families don’t deserve that.”

All of the ads have been removed from Kijiji. It’s not clear if the poster deleted them or if the online classified ad service took them down after the families complained. Kijiji did not respond to a request for comment Saturday.

The poster was listed as Ben Dover, which is a well known joke name, and joined Kijiji only in May.

“This is not funny,” said McKechnie. “Myself, I’ve suffered hell in the last, not even two years yet. I lost five family members in one year and I had a heart attack in December and now this. It’s hard. We did nothing to them.”

The crosses were put in April to remind the public that drugs, including fentanyl, keep getting inside the jail despite an inquest making 62 sweeping recommendations in May 2018 to prevent overdose deaths at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre.

“It’s where they lost their lives and that’s why we put that memorial there, to let the public be aware that there is a problem in corrections and people are losing their lives in there,” said McKecknie.

“I understand not everyone is going to support or agree with it because of the circumstances but that doesn’t give you the right to disrespect the families. They were still human beings and they have families who cared for them and love them. That’s not right. It’s a memorial site.”

Overall, McKecknie says the public has been respectful of the crosses and some have even placed flowers or butterfly art at the site.

“I’ve received messages from people all over the city,” she said. “They’re all sending me support messages saying, ‘Have you seen this and something needs to be done and the police should be called.’ All of the families that I speak to are pretty upset about it.”

Most of the ads offered to give away the crosses for nothing.

“Free art installations, good for upcoming Halloween or firewood,” said one ad.

Another read, “I’m giving away about 15 pieces of mope family art.”

But one asked for a selling price of $5.

McKecknie said she has a message for the person who posted the ads.

“Give your head a shake,” she said “How would you feel if this was your family? You have no right to judge or belittle people especially when they’re not here to defend themselves.”

And she has a warning for those who think they are immune to Canada’s opioid crisis which has hit Hamilton particularly hard: “This can happen to anybody.”

jfrketich@thespec.com

905-526-3349 | @Jfrketich

jfrketich@thespec.com

905-526-3349 | @Jfrketich