Friends and family members of Eloise Dupuis maintain the young mother was pressured by religious members of her family to refuse a blood transfusion during the birth of her newborn last month—a delivery which proved fatal for the 26-year-old.
Cousins, aunts and friends paid tribute to Dupuis during a gathering on Saturday in Laval.
The group wore red—not only to symbolize the vitality they say Eloise showed in life—but also the blood they believe could have saved her life.
Dupuis died during childbirth at a Levis hospital on Oct. 12. Questions have surrounded her death, and whether she gave full and informed consent in refusing to accept a blood transfusion, because of her Jehovah's Witness faith.
Jehovah's Witnesses are compelled to abstain from taking blood under their faith.
Dupuis' loved ones outside the religion say she was forced to make the decision by religious family members.
Both the hospital and Quebec Health Minister Gaetan Barrette insist Dupuis gave full and informed consent in refusing a blood transfusion. However, relatives at the gathering in Laval on Saturday said only Jehovah's Witnesses were allowed in the room with her as she made the decision.
They maintain she was pressured and would not have disregarded a potentially life-saving treatment.
“We're in 2016 this should never happen,” said family friend Robert Beauchemin. “How can they call that a religion? In my book, it's a sect. How can they leave someone to die for their own purposes? This is totally insane.”
Many of those present at the wake in Laval were not invited to Dupuis' funeral, or were uninvited.
—with files from Max Harrold of CTV Montreal