The video shows a grisly scene: A police truck with lights flashing, followed by an all-terrain vehicle pulling a sled with a body in it down an icy Utqiaġvik road.
This is how Venessa “Zoey” Vasquez first found out that her little brother, 17-year-old Christian Vasquez, had died.
“Nobody ever wants anything like this,” Vasquez said. “That was just heartbreaking.”
Vasquez said she had been searching for Christian and recognized his gray ski pants and black boots from the video, which an acquaintance sent her.
“Never on Earth would I have thought that's how my brother was going to be taken out,” Vasquez said. “Carried away like nothing, like a piece of garbage on a sled.”
North Slope Borough police transported Christian like this across several city blocks on their way to the community’s morgue.
Vasquez said it “broke her.” She filed a complaint with the department and shared the video on social media.
“I just felt like they weren't going to do anything about it,” said Vasquez. “So that's why I posted the video on Facebook, so I could be heard.”
The video has now been shared thousands of times, prompting widespread outrage.
Vasquez said she felt better after North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak and other officials, including the chief of police, visited her home and formally apologized.
“I think I just needed to hear that there were people out there who knew that that wasn't right,” said Vasquez.
The mayor’s office could not be reached for comment.
But in statements, Patkotak’s office said there was “a critical lapse in judgment,” that challenging terrain and weather conditions required use of the ATV, and that the supervising officer had been “released from employment.” Three other supervising officers had also been placed on leave.
The statement did not identify the officers, but the mayor’s office said it was investigating policy, procedures and personnel.
Vasquez never wants this to happen again and hopes that Christian is remembered for being a loveable teenager who cared for others more than himself and would never say no if someone asked for help.
“He was somebody's little brother, my little brother,” Vasquez said. “He was somebody's son. He had a whole village, too. He has a big family, and they all cared for him.”
A date has not yet been set for Christian’s memorial.
If you or someone you know is struggling with emotional distress, you can contact the Alaska Careline at 1(877) 266-4357.