Families, activists expose gaps in domestic violence protections
Allison Lussier’s life ended in a North Loop apartment in February 2024, but questions surrounding her death continue to reverberate through Minneapolis. Family members and Indigenous activists say the system failed Lussier, a 29-year-old woman with a history of domestic abuse, and are calling for accountability as her former boyfriend, Charles Henry Foss, faces only minor charges unrelated to her death.
Lussier died from a subdural hematoma, a blood buildup between the brain and skull that can result from violence, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office. The manner of death remains undetermined, and toxicology reports revealed significant amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine in her system.
Foss, who was sentenced to 13 months in jail for an unrelated break-in and standoff, appeared in Hennepin County Court wearing an XL orange jumpsuit. Prosecutors described his erratic behavior, which included fleeing police with a knife and agreeing to surrender only after requesting a McDonald’s milkshake. Advocates argue Foss should face charges related to Lussier’s death, citing a pattern of domestic abuse…