Inquest wraps up in Winnipeg into the 2021 overdose death of Lee Earnshaw
Global News
An inquest has wrapped up into the overdose death of Lee Earnshaw in 2021 in Winnipeg. His family members hope to prevent similar deaths.
A judge is now preparing the final report for the inquest into the 2021 death of Lee Earnshaw, which wrapped up in Winnipeg on Thursday.
Earnshaw, a father of four and a commercial fisherman from B.C., died in June 2021 at the age of 42, after a struggle with an opioid addiction. His family says on at least five occasions, Earnshaw tried to access treatment at rapid access to addiction medicine, or RAAM, clinics, but was turned away.
The inquest, called by the chief medical examiner, aims to examine the barriers Earnshaw faced in accessing treatment and the circumstances surrounding his death, as well as address service gaps and inefficiencies in the system in hopes of preventing similar deaths in the future.
“I lost my son, and it’s very heartbreaking. I hope no mother has to go through what I went through,” Earnshaw’s mother Stella Spence told Global News. “At least we could save some lives if something comes out of this hearing.”
For Carol Packer, Earnshaw’s sister, the inquest has been a long time coming.
“The anticipation of waiting to finally hear the truth in a court setting, listen to all the witnesses, and finally, our family having an opportunity to explain about what Lee was like in his life and how much it mattered to all of us — It feels like a huge weight has been lifted,” Packer told Global News.
Marion Willis of St. Boniface Street Links worked with Earnshaw, trying to help him access treatment. She also presented to court during the hearing.
Willis says Earnshaw was committed to changing his life, but faced numerous hurdles in accessing treatment, including being turned away for not meeting sobriety requirements and dealing with lengthy lineups and capacity issues at RAAM clinics. Challenges that are overwhelming for someone who is experiencing the excruciating physical symptoms of withdrawal, she said.
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