Stuart Langridge suicide report places blame on victim, parents' divorce

The family of Cpl. StuartLangridge, aCanadian soldier who took his own life in 2008, is outraged by the findings of a board of inquiry into his death.

Langridgehanged himself atCFBEdmonton nearly seven years ago. His family has been in a bitter struggle with the military ever since.

National Defence had refused to release the findings to his parents, one of the reasons his mother, Sheila, and stepfather, Shaun Fynes, complained to the country's military police watchdog.

• Read the full complaints commission report and responses
• Cpl. Stuart Langridge's suicide mishandled by military, report finds

This week, the Military Police Complaints Commission issued a scathing report into the militarys handling of the case. One day after the commission released its findings, Langridges parents were finally shown a report by military investigators who also examined their sons death.

The board completed its work in 2009 andthe family has been demanding to see the results ever since. The military finally relented this week,but only provided a partial copy of the boards report.

'Impossible to confirm state of mind'

The report is a difficult read. It chronicles Langridges descent from model soldier to a man found hanging by his neck from a chin-up bar in a military barracks.

"It is impossible to confirm Cpl. Langridges state of mind prior to suicide,"the report says before launching into an exhaustive examination of the corporals personal and professional life as well as his struggle with mental illness and substance abuse.

The board concludes Langridge attempted suicide five times in the last year of his life and determines that "the final three months of [his]life were tumultuous." Throughout it all, though, the report says the corporal "wanted to become a good soldier again."

"He couldnt bring himself to shake his addictions and failed to demonstrate that he was ready for the commitment and responsibility associated with being in a deployable squadron,"the report says.

'Overwhelmed' by end of relationship

The board says Langridges home life deteriorated in that period. Shortly before he took his own life, the report says,Langridges common-law spouse announced she was ending their relationship.

"The board concluded that his spouses decision to finally end their relationship overwhelmed Cpl. Langridge emotionally and caused him to commit suicide,"the report notes.

Langridge was a veteran of Bosnia and Afghanistan. But the report concludes he was not suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"The board found that the death was not attributable to military service,"it says.

Kenneypromises meeting with family

The corporals family has rejected the boards conclusions, calling the reportpart of "an ongoing nightmare."

"This is one more stark and flagrant example that the military justice system is unable to properly look after military families,"said Langridges mother, Sheila Fynes, in a statement.

"The military seems more preoccupied in protecting the brand than in getting to the truth."

Fynes is particularly incensed at what she sees as the military blaming her sons family for his suicide. The report concludes Langridge had "long-standing personal issues left over from his parents divorce when he was five years old.

"These events had a profound effect on Cpl. Langridge, leaving him full of anger and a sense of abandonment that he was unable to come to terms with."

Fynes calls the comments "outside the accepted bounds of humanity, decency and civility."

On Friday in Calgary, Defence Minister JasonKenneycalled the report "deeply regrettable" and he promised changes.

He said his office is reviewing the report andKenneyplans to meet with theFynesfamily after that review is complete.

Report falls short, family lawyer says

Michel Drapeau, the lawyer for the Fynes family, says his clients want to see the entire board of inquiry report, not just the partial copy the military has provided. As it stands, he says, the report falls far short.

"The leadership, the chain of command and the medical care that he received, none of that receives any critical review or any critical findings,"Drapeau said in an interview with CBC News.

"That report should not be trying to lecture Mr. and Mrs. Fynes or lecture his ex-girlfriend as to what they may or may not have done."

Drapeau says nothing in the report offers any insight into whether the military could have done more to prevent the corporals death or how it can prevent other suicides in future. To him, it seems aimed more at clearing the military of any responsibility.