Inquest into 2013 suicide at Hillsborough Hospital set for Feb. 29

An inquest into a patient's suicide at Hillsborough Hospital will be held more than two years after the woman's death, P.E.I. chief coroner Dr. Des Colohan has confirmed.

Colohan said inquest coroner Dr. Roy Montgomery will conduct the investigation into the death of Sherry Jean Ball, 47, who died in 2013.

The inquest is expected to begin on Feb. 29 at the P.E.I. Supreme Court building in Charlottetown and is also expectedbe open to the public.

Over the course of the week, a jury of six Islanders will hear from a number of witnesses and then come up with any recommendations that could prevent similar deaths in the future.

Through access to information, CBC News has learned some details around the case.

According to the incident report, Ball was found at 7:35 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2013. Island EMS were called to the psychiatric hospitaland Ball was pronounced dead after they arrived. The file was then handed to police for investigation.

On Dec. 9, 2013, police reported they had finished their investigation, determined there was no foul play and turned the matter over to the coroner and health officials.

Documents released through freedom of information also show staff at Hillsborough held a two-hour critical incident debriefing on Dec. 4, 2013. The document says five staff members attended and "feedback on the session was positive and staff reported reduction in symptoms of CIS (critical incident stress)."

The province declined to release any other documents connected to the case, including the coroner's report and post-mortem examination, citing privacy reasons. The province also said other documents from Dec. 11, 2013 onward were part of "a quality improvement activity," which are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

At the time, director of Mental Health and Addictions Margaret Kennedy said no other patients, staff or visiting family members were involved and the facility is a safe and secure place.

Under the P.E.I. Coroner's Act, inquests are held whenever there is a death in a public institution that may have been preventable.