Samuel Brown inquest date set more than 5½ years after student's death in Brantford

Over five and a half years after his death, the inquest for Samuel Brown will begin later this month. 

Brown, an 18-year-old deaf, blind and non-verbal student at W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind, died overnight at Brantford General Hospital on Feb. 9, 2018.

"The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Brown's death. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths," read a statement by Stephanie Rea, issues manager with the chief coroner's office.

The inquest, which will start virtually on Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. ET, is expected to hear from approximately 12 witnesses and last 10 days.

Members of the public can watch the proceeding online.

Family has been waiting years for inquest

The Brampton family said he was fine on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, when they put him on a bus back to the school.

But a few days later, school staff noticed he had become tired and didn't feel well, says a document from Dr. June Rogers, executive director of the provincial and demonstration schools branch.

Brown's parents were called on Thursday evening to let them know he wasn't feeling well. He died sometime overnight.

Since then, the family has been fighting for answers.

Preliminary coroner's reports and autopsy results delivered conflicting causes of death. One said it was pneumonia, while the coroner said it was due to natural causes.

The inquest has been postponed before. It was first set to begin Nov. 15, 2021, and was first postponed to 2022.