Still no date for inquest into death of Samuel Brown at Ontario-run school for the blind
Lawyer for Brown family calling for 911 recordings, staff notes and logs to be released
The coroner's office says an inquest into the death of Samuel Brown at a government-run school for blind students in Brantford, Ont., will be held sometime in 2022 — though an exact date still hasn't been set.
The 18-year-old student at W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind died sometime overnight on Feb. 9, 2018.
His family, who live in Brampton, have been pushing for an inquest since his death. Four years later, they're still waiting.
"Samuel Brown was a generous teenager who was loved by hundreds of Canadians," wrote his mother, Andrea Brown, in a statement shared Tuesday.
"He brought out the best in others and I look forward to this jury of five Canadians learning more about his life."
Brown's family is being represented by lawyer Saron Gebresellassi, who called for a date to be set for the inquest.
She also shared a copy of a notice of motion on Tuesday that she said had been sent to coroner Dr. David Cameron calling for the school, Brantford police and the coroner's lawyer to provide her team with further documentation.
Gebresellassi has asked for a copy of the school's procedures and policies, staff log books from February 4-9 as well as any notes documenting the monitoring they were reportedly doing the night the teen died.
The lawyer is also requesting copies of all 911 calls made about Brown during his time at the school, including the night he died.
Coroner's office says evidence still being 'explored'
A spokesperson for Brantford police directed a request for comment on the 911 calls to the coroner's office.
The evidence that will be examined at the inquest is "still being explored and will be shared with participants in advance of the date the inquest is to be held," stated coroner spokesperson Stephanie Rea in an email Tuesday.
Ontario's Ministry of the Solicitor General first announced in late October that an inquest would take place by video conference, calling 13 witnesses and taking place over five days.
But just eight days later, the ministry said it would have to be delayed until an in-person inquest was possible, citing accessibility concerns and the "constraints of a virtual environment."
Rea said that decision was about protecting the health and safety of everyone involved.
"The inquest will be held in 2022," she wrote, adding a specific date will be selected once all dates that work for all parties and jurors can be found.