After years of efforts by Samuel Brown's family, Ontario calls inquest into student's death

The family of Samuel Brown hopes to get closer to the truth now that the Ontario governmenthas announced an inquest into theW. Ross Macdonald student's sudden death.

SaronGebresellassi, a lawyer representing Brown's family, said theinquestnext month will be overwhelming.

For years, the family had been calling for an inquest.The province said Wednesday it will "examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Brown's death," and ajury may recommend how to prevent similar deaths.

"It's going to be tough," Gebresellassi said. "There's no question about it. It's going to come with a lot of internal turmoil for members of the communityand it's not going to be an easy process."

Brown, 18, was a deaf, blind and non-verbal student at the provincially run Brantford school for the blind in 2018.

The Brampton family said he was fine on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, when they put him on a bus back to the school. But betweenMonday and Wednesday, school staff noticed he became more tiredand didn't feel well, saysa document fromDr. June Rogers, executive director of the provincial and demonstration schools branch.

On Thursday evening, staffcalled Samuel's parents to let them know he wasn't feeling well and continued to check on him. He died sometime overnight on Feb. 9.

Preliminary coroner's reports and autopsy results offerconflicting causes of death. One said it was pneumonia, while the coroner saidit was natural causes.

'We refuse a virtual process'

Dr. Karen Schiff, regional supervising coroner for west region'sHamilton office, announced the inquest Wednesday. It's expected to last five days and involve about 13 witnesses.

The province says the inquest will happen via video conference, butGebresellassi is fighting for it to be in person.

She saidshe's even booked a conference room at a hotel and invited the province to hold it there.

Members of the family and the W. Ross Macdonald community need to be able to attend together, she said.

"We refuse a virtual process," she said. "We don't believe that's what the community deserves."

Dr. David Cameron will preside as inquest officer and Ed Slater will be the inquest counsel.