By Canadian Press

Coroner refuses Montreal family’s request for new investigation into woman’s ER death

Nov 30, 2022 | 11:25 AM

MONTREAL — The Quebec coroner’s office has rejected a request by a Montreal family for a new investigation into the death of an 86-year-old Filipino woman found lifeless on the floor of an emergency room. 

The office said in a letter dated Nov. 17 that coroner Amelie Lavigne acted with “rigour” and “integrity” in her investigation into the death last year of Candida Macarine, adding that the case would not be reopened.

Macarine’s children, Gilda and Emmanuel Macarine, told a news conference today that the decision by the coroner’s office was disappointing and felt like a slap in the face.

Lavigne concluded in September that Candida Macarine died of natural causes, and the coroner found no evidence of negligence on the part of staff at the Lakeshore General Hospital, on the Island of Montreal.

But the family says the initial coroner’s report raised important questions and omitted pertinent evidence, adding that they believe racial discrimination and negligence might have played a role in Macarine’s death. 

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Montreal-based civil rights group Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations is helping the family file complaints against the attending doctors and nurses at the hospital.

The family says it is considering filing a civil suit against the hospital and applying for judicial review of the decision to deny them a second inquiry.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2022.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship. 

The Canadian Press