Coroner’s inquest into death of Brampton teen at Brantford school for the blind postponed

Four days after the Government of Ontario announced an inquest into the death of 18-year-old Samuel Brown would be held Nov. 15, the inquest has been officially postponed, with the Office of the Chief Coroner (OCC) saying it will occur in early 2022 when in-person settings are "possible."

This postponement will address concerns of accessibility voiced by the disability community, as well as allow further exploration of the evidence without the constraints of a virtual environment," said Stephanie Rea of the OCC.

The 18-year-old Brampton resident was found dead in his bedroom at the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind in Brantford in Feb. 2018.

The inquest was originally scheduled to be held over Zoom, though Brown's family and trial lawyer Saron Gebresellassi said it is not the right forum for this matter."

You can't do successful cross-examination over Zoom," said Gebresellassi, emphasizing that the proceedings have to be accessible to the deaf and blind community.

In the release announcing the original inquest, the province said it would examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Brown's death," and that it would last approximately five days and see appearances from 13 witnesses.

A new press release announcing the postponement was scheduled to come down from the province Monday, Nov. 1, according to Gebresellassi.

At the time of publishing, the province had yet to issue a notice.

Though this news means Brown's family will have to wait even longer for an outcome, Gebresellassi said it was a victory."

The government and the coroner are in a tough spot; they have to do the inquiry and they have to be accessible and compliant with the law."

She points to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), which aims to improve accessibility standards for Ontarians with physical and mental disabilities.

She also said the province provided an apology, which she says is an significant event," though the family is still processing it.

Brown's family say their son was in good health the weekend before his death, and allege that only 12 hours had passed when they were informed Samuel was not feeling well and when he was pronounced dead.

It is not known when or where the inquest will happen though Gebresellassi argues it should be held in Brampton, where Brown was born and raised and where his family still resides today.

Samuel Brown was a kind, happy and healthy young teenager. He was cherished for his infectious smile and gentle spirit. He was non-judgmental and brought out the warmer, kinder qualities in people. We are profoundly grateful to the thousands of Canadians who have expressed their support for Samuel," said his mother, Andrea Brown, in a release.

- With files from Iain Colpitts.