'Sudden and unexpected' death of a child at an Ontario hospital under chief coroner investigation
CTV
Ontario’s Chief Coroner has launched an investigation following the “sudden and unexpected” death of a child at an Ontario hospital on Tuesday.
Ontario’s Chief Coroner has launched an investigation following the “sudden and unexpected” death of a child at an Ontario hospital on Tuesday.
The death took place at Lakeridge Health Ajax Pickering Hospital, however no other details have been provided.
A spokesperson for Ontario’s Chief Coroner said their office investigates when a death is sudden and unexpected.
“So the death of a two-year-old may not merit an investigation if there was a known recorded disease process,” Stephanie Rea, Issues Manager at the Office of the Chief Coroner, told CTV News Toronto.
“For example, if a child had been admitted to a hospital for a health reason and subsequently died, a coroner would not necessarily be called to investigate as medical records would chronicle the cause and manner of death.”
Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones responded to the death at a news conference on Thursday, noting that she “cannot imagine how challenging this must be” for both the child’s family and the caregivers who were present.
“I will let the investigation in the hospital do the work they need to do to communicate with that family, but I don't think any of us can comprehend how deeply saddened we are when we hear about the death of a patient,” Jones said.
