Pomares case | A tragedy that “probably” could have been avoided, concludes the coroner

The double murder committed by Jonathan Pomares on his two children before killing himself, in Montreal in October 2019, could “no doubt” have been avoided if a crisis unit had been set up, concludes coroner Stéphanie Gamache in its report released on Tuesday.

Ariane Kroll
The Press

“When someone has nothing left to lose, destruction essentially takes over. So the loss of control over someone can precisely tip over into violence and homicidal gestures, ”summarized M^and Gamache at a press conference in Montreal.

Mr. Pomares committed suicide after killing his children, Élise, 5, and Hugo, 7, in the family residence in the Tétreaultville district on October 22, 2019.

About ten days earlier, he had made suicidal remarks and gestures when the children’s mother had told him of her intention to separate.

Poorly assessed risks

In the context of separation, a suicide attempt can be an “extreme expression” of control comparable to domestic violence, and constitute “a homicidal risk factor according to the scientific literature”, underlines Ms.^and Gamache in his report.

However, these risks have not been correctly assessed, shows the lawyer in her meticulous reconstruction of the events.

Thus, although the first evaluation of Mr. Pomares at Notre-Dame Hospital recommended preventive confinement, a note indicating the absence of domestic violence had also been entered in the file, on the grounds that there was no had any manifestation of physical violence in the couple.

The coroner mentions a dozen other factors that were not fully taken into consideration by the successive interveners, including Mr. Pomares’ alcohol problems, his anxiety-depressive history, his aggressiveness towards the paramedics which led him to the hospital and the presence of a knife in the couple’s bedroom.

This myriad of signals, some of which dated back many years, should have prompted the establishment of a crisis unit to create a safety net around the family, believes the coroner.

Such “concrete actions” would “undoubtedly have made it possible to avoid this horrible tragedy”, she notes in her report.

While acknowledging that steps have been taken “in the right direction”, M^and Gamache makes several recommendations so that health system workers receive training on domestic violence, as well as on the conditions for lifting the confidentiality of files with relatives and other workers.

If all these recommendations are followed, “I hope that a tragedy like this will not happen again,” she said on Tuesday.

call for respect

The lawyer began her presentation with a call for respect “in order to preserve the privacy of the family affected by this horrible tragedy”.

The children’s mother, referred to as “the ex-spouse”, is not named in the report. M^and Gamache offered him his condolences, his respect and his empathy.

The coroner wanted to conclude her speech by talking about the two children, “because we must give them a voice since they are full victims of domestic violence”.

Young Hugo was “curious, energetic” and “loved playing sports, especially soccer”, while little Élise was empathetic, “loved to talk a lot” and “loved sweets and her stuffed animals”.

“The children both got along and were very close,” said Ms.^and Gamache courtesy of their mother.