Inquest into N.B. inmate’s death concludes but family still seeking justice

It was an emotional final day of a coroner’s inquest investigating the death of a 28-year-old inmate at the Saint John Regional Regional Correctional Centre.

Skyler Sappier was just over a week and a half away from finishing his nearly four-month sentence when he had to be transferred to the Saint John Region Hospital after contracting suspected COVID-19. He died on Jan. 31, 2022.

On the final day of the coroner’s inquest, the courtroom heard over 40 recommendations, 21 of which were from the jury tasked to find the cause of his death.

The jury suggested a near overhaul of the medical units inside correction facilities in New Brunswick. This includes adding a nurse to the medical unit overnight, checks every 15 minutes (verbally), vitals to be charted when checked and better policies around when to call an ambulance or transport.

Testimony through the week heard Sappier waited for hours after putting in an initial request to staff to get medical attention. Once Sappier arrived at the Saint John Regional Hospital, corrections officers noticed that the inmate’s condition started deteriorating.

One nurse described him with signs of sepsis.

The jury pointed out their recommendations for implementing better ways of diagnosing medical issues and solutions for medical transport.

Part of the recommendation read:

1. Develop a standard operating procedure that will guide decision-making based on risk level and clarify the roles and responsibilities of Corrections Health Services nursing personnel vs JPS officers when a patient requires transfer from correctional facilities to acute care settings (hospitals). Emergent/urgent and non-urgent pathways should be developed based on nursing/medical assessments of patient risk level. This procedure will ensure that transportation modality/urgency of transport is aligned with the level of risk.
2. Investigate the feasibility of the utilization of the epoc® Blood Analysis System. This medical equipment would provide nursing personnel with quick access to basic blood work results. Further, consider the utilization of ECG machines in Corrections Health Services. ECG can help inform decisions related to client care, including the necessity of transfers to acute care settings. Further exploration of the feasibility of these tools will need to be explored, especially in relation to human resources, scopes of practice and training needs.

An emotional courtroom heard the recommendations on Thursday afternoon. Afterwards, the coroner allowed the family to hold one last prayer in the courtroom.

1:21 Coroner’s inquest begins in N.B. jail death

Family members used that as an opportunity to show their disappointment in the inquest. The grandmother’s song was sung by those family members, which echoed throughout the courtroom.

When the jury was dismissed, shouting could be heard coming from the back of the courtroom from family members continuing to express their displeasure.

“Let’s get out of here,” one voice shouted as the coroner dismissed jurors. “This will be taken further against that damn jail.”

Family members continued outside the courtroom on Thursday, as prayers and singing could be heard on the outside steps.

“We should have had more opportunities to speak,” said Sierra Sappier, Skyler’s sister. “When we did give our recommendations, they were not taken seriously, and when we put our questions to the coroner, they weren’t always asked.”

Throughout the inquest, multiple questions were explained to family members that the standing whiteness would not be able to answer or that questions would be diverted to other witnesses further down the line.

The coroner explained Thursday that not all of the family’s recommendations pertained to the inquest, leaving some behind.

“The biggest thing is anger, sadness and hurt. We didn’t even get the opportunity to say goodbye,” Sierra Sappier said.

Officials from the correctional centre said they couldn’t speak to what the prison was doing to prevent future instances, but recommendations have previously been sent to the prison.

“Skyler was a beloved family member and community member. He was robbed of his future with his two young children. There was missing oversight and a lack of compassion for him in his final days, marked by the unacceptable decision not to take his failing health seriously,” said Neqotkuk Chief Ross Perley in a release.

“As a result of this inquest, I am left with one demand — calling of an Indigenous-led inquiry into the systemic racism that is on full display in today’s justice system. We need immediate action before more people die.’’

The coroner will pass along the recommendations to the jail and hospital for review.

1:49 Emotional day at Skyler Sappier death inquest in Saint John