Six years since the death of a child at the care of a school for the blind in Brantford his family says they still don’t know what happened.
The school is owned and operated by the government of Ontario and the family of the child is looking to sue the province.
Samuel Brown was born with a genetic condition that left him blind, deaf and non verbal.
He was a student at the W. Ross McDonald School for the Blind, a boarding school in Brantford, owned and operated by the province of Ontario.
READ MORE: Samuel Brown inquest: jury delivers 21 recommendations
His caregivers were the last to spend time with him before he died but have given little explanation as to what happened.
The coroner’s report said his death was due to natural causes but an autopsy cited pneumonia.
A provincial inquest that finished nearly five years after his death, produced 21 recommendations for school improvements.
But that inquest did not allow them to hold anyone accountable – in particular the last employee to see him alive.
Now that the inquest is over, the family is allowed to sue the province for negligence and has filed a lawsuit.
READ MORE: School staff checked on Samuel Brown throughout night before he died, inquest hears
Saron Gebresllassi, the Brown family’s attorney said “after Samuel’s supervisor failed to obey the subpoena that was subpoenaed to her, and failed to testify as to what she saw on the night of Samuel Brown’s death, it became absolutely necessary to do a lawsuit.
The family released this statement on Thursday:
“Words fail us. We are in disbelief that Samuel Brown is no longer with us. Samuel was non-judgmental, peaceful and kind. We continue the fight for justice and are grateful beyond measure to Canadians for supporting us for so long.”
The Brown lawsuit is not the first time the school has been sued. A class action lawsuit detailed disturbing allegations such as staff kicking students and other abuse.
An $8 million settlement was reached in 2017 before the case went to trial.
CHCH news reached out to the Ministry of Education which released a statement saying in part, “We will be using the inquest recommendations to build upon our work to improve the PDSB School System to keep students safe and ensure this does not happen again.”
