Coroner's inquest begins today into suicide of mentally ill man at OCDC

A coroner's inquest into the death of a mentally ill man who hanged himself at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre last year is expected to begin today.

Cleve "Cas" Geddeshad been grappling with schizophrenia for about a decade when he was arrested in January 2017.

The 30-year-olddied in hospital on Feb. 10, 2017, after being transferred there from the jail.

After his death, his sisterSigridtold CBC News that Geddes wassupposed to have initially been sent to hospital for a 30-day assessment to determinewhether or not he was criminally responsible.

However, there was no room at the hospital, she said, so Geddes was sent to OCDC instead.

Geddes was the youngest of six siblings and grew up around the Ottawa Valley towns of Killaloe, Wilno and Barry's Bay.

The inquest is expected to last nine days and hear from approximately 28 witnesses.

Need help? Here are some mental health resources in the National Capital Region:

• Ottawa Suicide Prevention: 613-238-3311
• Associationqubcoisedeprventiondu suicide:1-866-APPELLE(1-866-277-3553)