RN Kylee Rogers says she was relieved when she got the call that her brother Zak had been arrested. She was unable to reach him for weeks and felt sure he would now be safe. Sadly, three days later her brother was dead. His cause of death in 2021 is still undetermined. He overdosed in prison, was revived and treated in hospital, then returned to jail, where he died in his cell. A coroner’s report found he had drugs in his system, but not enough to conclude that’s what led to his death.

Rogers hopes a coroner’s inquest (mandatory when someone dies in jail) will answer some of her questions. She has observed other inquests to support families that have experienced similar trauma, but says people keep dying and inquest recommendations are often ignored. She would like to see the inquest process changed so recommendations are more narrowly focused and legally binding, with institutions audited for compliance.

The year her brother died, there were 46 deaths in Ontario jails. “If 46 dogs died in care…people would be up in arms,” she says. “There would be change happening, there would be reform.” (Toronto Star, March 27)