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Memorial Garden Dedicated To Jacqueline Brewer and John Ryan Turner

Saint Stephen, NB, Canada / 98.1 Charlotte FM
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Sep 22, 2017 | 3:32 PM
Memorial Garden Dedicated To Jacqueline Brewer and John Ryan Turner


A stained glass rainbow-topped memorial stone etched with the young faces of Jacqueline Brewer and John Ryan Turner now sits in Rainbow Park’s south end, to honour and remember the two New Brunswick children whose lives were cut tragically short more than 20 years ago.

Both 2-year-old Jacqueline Brewer of Saint John and 3-year-old John Ryan Turner of Miramichi died in the ’90s of horrific abuse and neglect at the hands of their parents. A large crowd gathered at Rainbow Park on a sunny fall day for the official dedication of a memorial garden to the two children, a joint project between PULSE and the city of Saint John.

“Jacqueline Brewer and John Ryan Turner never had the chance to grow up, to be in our society, and to enjoy life,” says deputy mayor of Saint John Shirley McAlary, speaking at the event.

Minister of families and children Stephen Horsman also spoke at the dedication ceremony, and said the death of one child is too many and we must remember Jackie and John.

“The importance of honouring Jacqueline Brewer and John Ryan Turner is etched in everyone’s faces. Although difficult, I hope we can take solace in knowing they are and always will be remembered.”

CHSJ News spoke to Lauza Comeau of the company Heritage Memorials. She helped design the memorial stone.

“I was here around that time in that era, and it was very close to my heart. She’s up in St. Joseph’s and I have a grandson there, and she’s laying right beside him, so when I see my grandson I go and see her. I lay a flower for her, I lay a flower for him. They’re just partners,” says Comeau.

“It’s close to my heart, just to be here and to have the opportunity and the pleasure of helping to design the momunent and having coordinate it into the park here.”

Mr. Justice Hugh McLellen, at the time of sentencing of Jacqueline’s parents, ordered a public memorial be erected and suggested the inscription read in part, “Jacqueline lived in loneliness, squalor and misery with her parents, under the supervision of social workers, health care experts and child protection officials. Her death diminishes all of us.”