Nunavut to hold inquest into death of Cape Dorset baby Makibi Timilak

Nunavut will hold an inquest into the death of Makibi Timilak, after the three-month-old boy's family made a formal request to the territory's minister of justice.

The baby died April 5, 2012,after DebbieMcKeown, a nurse atthe CapeDorsetHealth Centre, allegedly refused to see him, contrary to government policy.McKeownwas later promoted to running the health centre.

Another nurse who had previously filed complaintsaboutMcKeown, Gwen Slade,has said her concerns were ignored byNunavuthealth officials and that she was punished for speaking out.

Chief coroner PadmaSuramalaissued a press release Tuesday stating theinquest is"to review the circumstances surrounding the reportable death of babyMakibiTimilak.

"The specific date of the inquest will be determined once further logistics have been confirmed."

Anindependent review looking into the circumstances surrounding the infant'sdeath was prompted by a CBC News investigation.

The report, authored by Katherine Peterson, contained dozens of recommendations, including a call for a coroner's inquest.

In response, the Nunavut government said thedecision on whether to hold an inquest would be left up to the family.

LuutaaqQaumagiaq, the baby's father,sent a letter recently to Justice Minister PaulOkalikrequesting that he call an inquest.

"It was just a matter of putting it in writing," said South Baffin MLA DavidJoanasie, who helped the family draft the letter.

"They had time to think it over thoroughly as a familyand so I'm glad that they have decided to go ahead with it and I support their decision."

Letter sent

"A formal inquest into the death of baby Makibi should be convened to review the facts associated with the provision of care and the medical opinions as to the cause of death,"readsQaumagiaq'sletter toOkalik, quoting Peterson's report.

"I therefore respectfully request that you exercise your ministerial authority under section 24 of theCoroners Actto direct that a formal inquest be held into this matter," Qaumagiaq wrote.

According to Sec.24 of the act, the chief coroner or the minister responsible for the chief coroner can call an inquest, and the inquest can bepresided over by a coroner or by a Nunavut judge.

The act also stipulates a coroner would be prohibited from presiding overaninquest if the coroner's conduct or that of the coroner's employermight be in question in relation to the death.

Qaumagiaqpreviously called for Nunavut's chief coroner, Padma Suramala,to be fired over her handling of the investigation into his son's death.

Suramala initially attributed the baby'sdeath to sudden infant death syndrome, but later signed off on an autopsy report by an Ottawa pathologist who concluded that the infanthad died of a widespread viral infection in both lungs.

After a second Ottawa pathologist reviewed the original autopsy results and found no evidence of a viral infection, Suramala classified the death as "undetermined."

The inquest is set to take place in Cape Dorset.Two inquests are already scheduledthis year.

OkaliksaidNunavutinquests to date "have been held with our contract with the N.W.T. so they are normally held by a different coroner in these situations."

He said he has directed the Health Department to provide counselling services and support for the family during the inquest.

"It's theirdecision and I will support them and make sure that it happens," hesaid.