A coroner’s inquest into the death of a disabled teen at a Brantford school for the blind has been postponed just days after it was announced.
The office of Ontario’s chief coroner says the inquest into the death of 18-year-old Samuel Brown that was supposed to start in less than two weeks will instead take place in early 2022.
Last week, the province had announced the inquest would be scheduled to start on Nov. 15 and would hear from about 13 witnesses over five days.
“This postponement will address concerns of accessibility voiced by the disability community, as well as allow further exploration of the evidence without the constraints of a virtual environment,” wrote Stephanie Rea of the office of the chief coroner in an email on Wednesday.
The Brampton teen was found dead in his room at the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind in Brantford in February 2018.
Brown’s parents have said their son’s death was shrouded in mystery and controversy, alleging he was in good health the weekend before he died.
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They also allege that only 12 hours passed between the time they received a phone call indicating their son was slightly unwell and when he was pronounced dead in hospital.
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Saron Gebresellassi, counsel for Brown’s family, told Global News that it’s better the inquest happens in person than over Zoom.
“Cross-examinations, opening arguments can’t really be done effectively over Zoom,” said Gebresellassi. “The hybrid model is nothing new in Ontario. You know, criminal trials are happening in person all across the province and all across the country.”
She said the inquest will allow for a fully transparent examination of a key piece of evidence – the logbook from the night Brown died.
“We’ve been requesting a logbook for a long time. The logbook documents information about what staff observed on the night of Samuel’s death … it has been said that he was monitored every 30 minutes throughout the 12 to 24 hours leading up to the death. And this logbook is the hot topic, if you will, of this coroner’s inquest.”
Gebresellassi added that the family has received an apology from the provincial government, and while it is “appreciated,” she said they’re still processing it.
Mostly, she said Brown’s parents are grateful to everyone who expressed their support and echoed their call for a coroner’s inquest so that no other family would have to go through a similar experience.
“The parents’ most fervent wish is really that Samuel’s death serves as a cautionary tale and that he doesn’t die in vain,” she said.
“Today it’s their family, but tomorrow it could be your family, God forbid. And for that reason, they emphasize over and over again that it’s too late for them, and that this fight is really a fight for bettering the province of Ontario and our country.”
–With files from The Canadian Press
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