An inquest jury in northern Ontario has issued 13 recommendations to enhance healthcare at Sudbury Jail following the death of a Wiikwemkoong First Nation man who was in custody four years ago.
Justin Alexander Trudeau, aged 44, passed away on Feb. 13, 2021, five days after starting a 30-day sentence at the jail. His post-mortem revealed that he succumbed to a severe antibiotic-resistant infection that had spread from his lungs to his bloodstream.
During a week of testimonies, the five-member jury identified issues such as understaffing of medical personnel and guards at the facility.
The recommendations, which are not legally binding but are meant to prompt policy changes, consist of eight suggestions from the coroner’s office, the jail, and its physician, along with five additional recommendations from the jury.
The Office of the Chief Coroner will request a response from the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Sudbury Jail within six months regarding the implementation of the recommendations or reasons for non-implementation.
Key recommendations for the Ministry of the Solicitor General include optimizing staffing levels during overnight shifts, upgrading segregation cell door windows, and providing cultural training specific to Indigenous inmates. Recommendations for Sudbury Jail involve improving communication among correctional officers and enhancing training on documentation standards.
Common recommendations for both entities include ensuring 24-hour nursing coverage, prioritizing medical assessments for new inmates, and closely monitoring inmates showing signs of infection.
Trudeau, a father of five, exhibited symptoms including a mild fever, rib pain, and a request for methadone during his time at the jail. Despite reporting breathing difficulties to his mother the night before his death, his severe infection went undetected until it caused organ failure. Experts testified that closer monitoring could have identified warning signs of sepsis, such as a low temperature reading taken the day before his passing.
