(Montreal) The Coroner’s Office has rejected a Montreal family’s request for a new investigation into the circumstances of the death of Candida Macarine, an 86-year-old woman found lifeless on the floor of a room in the emergency room of Lakeshore General Hospital.
In a letter dated November 17, the institution indicates that coroner Amélie Lavigne conducted her investigation with “rigor” and “integrity” last year and that this case would not be reopened.
In her report filed in September, Coroner Lavigne concluded that Candida Macarine died of natural causes and that no evidence of negligence had been found regarding the staff at the Lakeshore General Hospital.
From the family’s perspective, however, the report raises important questions in addition to omitting relevant evidence. Relatives say they believe racial discrimination and neglect may have played a significant role in the death of the Filipina lady.
The Center for Research-Action on Race Relations, a Montreal rights organization, is supporting the family in their efforts to file a complaint against the doctors and nurses on duty at the time of the death.
In addition, the family says it is considering taking civil action against the hospital and asking for a judicial review of the Coroner’s Office decision.
“Eventually there will be a civil lawsuit against the hospital and the medical staff involved because there is a feeling that this is a case of gross negligence that has led to death and preventable pain and bereavement for the family,” commented the Executive Director of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations, Fo Niemi.
He relies among other things on the fact that the family was informed that their mother had been found dead on the floor of the emergency room only ten days after the announcement of her death.
In an emailed response, Coroner’s Office spokesman Jake Lamotta-Granato reiterated that a full review of the inquest had been conducted at the request of the family. This would have led to the conclusion that a reopening of the investigation was not necessary.
The children of M.me Macarine, Gilda and Emmanuel said at a press conference on Wednesday that the decision of the Coroner’s Office was disappointing. They said they received it like a slap in the face.
“I feel bad,” Gilda Macarine told The Canadian Press. I feel like we’re being neglected. I feel like discrimination plays a role in this case because we are immigrants, so who cares about us? My family is very sad and we want to continue our quest for truth and justice. »
According to the family of the deceased, Coroner Lavigne’s four-page report mentions that Ms.me Macarine was left alone for a long time. While she was to be monitored every fifteen minutes, 30 minutes had passed when staff discovered the patient dead on the floor in February 2021.
The family also wonders why the lady was not transferred to an intensive care unit after a blood test revealed a high risk of cardiac arrest.
This article was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta Fellowships and The Canadian Press for News.