Inquest for 7 Maplehurst Correctional Complex inmates who died after drug overdoses begins today

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 16, 2025 9:56 AM EDT | Last Updated: 24 minutes ago

An inquest gets underway today for 7 men who died in drug overdoses portion astatine Maplehurst Correctional Complex successful Milton, Ont., betwixt June 2017 and October 2019.

Five of the 7 were primitively from Waterloo portion oregon Guelph.

The following died either at Maplehurst or aft transportation to Halton Healthcare, with their dates of decease included:

• Wesley Da Silva, 40, of Cambridge, Oct. 4, 2019.
• Cory Hemstead, 31, of Brampton, June 19, 2029.
• Shawn Irvine, 38, of Kitchener, Oct. 29, 2018.
• Derek Johne, 28, of Magnetawan, June 20, 2017.
• Curtis McGowan, 32, of Guelph, Oct. 6, 2017.
• Peter Ormond, 38, of Kitchener, Sept. 25, 2017.
• Rattanbir Sidhu, 23, of Cambridge, May 7, 2019.

In Ontario, inquests into deaths while in custody are mandatory nether the Coroners Act. Maplehurst Correctional Complex holds about 1,500 inmates successful mean and maximum security.

'We merit answers'

Amber McPherson, McGowan's sister, is among those expected to talk astatine the inquest. It's being held virtually and is acceptable to perceive from 25 witnesses implicit 13 days.

She said it's important radical cognize her member was much than conscionable an addict who died successful jail.

"I would similar to support Curtis's sanction going because he was somebody. He could person gotten better. Like radical say, possibly he's successful a amended spot due to the fact that he's not suffering now. But that's not what I believe," she told CBC News erstwhile the inquest was called successful April.

"Nothing is going to bring him back, but I consciousness similar we merit answers. The full household is going to beryllium portion of the Zoom. And we're going to bring pictures and we're going to conscionable fight. Curtis was a bully guy. He was hilarious. He had a large heart. He was similar a large teddy bear."

The inquest volition analyse the circumstances surrounding the men's deaths and the jury whitethorn past marque recommendations aimed astatine preventing further deaths.

The main goals of inquests is to publically analyse the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The assemblage is tasked with identifying imaginable information issues and whitethorn marque recommendations to forestall aboriginal akin deaths.