Coroner’s inquest begins into Residence Herron care home where dozens died of COVID-19

By The Canadian Press

MONTREAL — An inquest into a Montreal-area long-term care home where dozens died during the first wave of COVID-19 began today with coroner Gehane Kamel promising to search for the truth of what happened.

In her opening remarks, Kamel said it is not her job to determine criminal or civil responsibility but rather to “shed a light” on the 47 deaths that occurred at the Residence Herron.

Kamel is investigating the deaths at seven Quebec seniors residences and long-term care homes, but the portion of the hearings addressing Herron was suspended earlier this year while prosecutors decided whether to lay charges against the former owners.

The Quebec prosecutor’s office announced last month that the evidence in the case did not meet the bar for criminal charges.

A report commissioned by the provincial government accused the owners of “organizational negligence” that resulted in a failure to meet residents’ needs as the pandemic hit in the spring of 2020.


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Kamel said Tuesday that she expects testimonies to evoke intense emotions, calling the conditions at Herron deplorable. Family members reported loved ones were left sitting in their own excrement for days, many without food and water.

First witnesses at the coroner’s inquest included a Montreal police officer of the major crimes unit in charge of the investigation at Herron. The officer said there were three staff members for 133 residents, that the owners did not cooperate with police. Officers spoke to 50 witnesses.

Montreal public health director Dr. Mylene Drouin also testified. She said she was notified about the situation at Herron from the health ministry on Apr. 3, 2020, but it wasn’t until Apr. 7 when police were called that they realized how serious the problems were, and that more resources were needed to intervene.

Drouin says she didn’t have contact with owners and that in hindsight, they should have been involved sooner.

Samantha Chowieri of the Katasa Group − the former owners of Herron − will be the last person to testify in the next three weeks of hearings.

WATCH: One year after horrors at Quebec seniors’ homes (March 30, 2021)

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