Jury wants onsite medical help for in-custody youth

Early in his time in custody LaChance indicated back pain and was taken to a clinic for treatment that Monday.

Staff from PAYR testified by mid-week he was running a fever, sweating and having difficulty supporting his weight to walk.

By 11 p.m. that night he was in an ambulance after losing control of his bladder and vomiting blood. He died of acute bronchopneumonia and sepsis associated with it the following day, Sept. 19, 2013 around 1 p.m.

Recommendations

The jury recommended five actions to ensure deaths or circumstances similar to what LaChance faced are not repeated.

First, they focused on an issue that was commonly referred to during testimony – the need for a medical professional at PAYR. At one time the facility can house up to 26 youth who have been arrested.

During his testimony when speaking about nursing staff on site PAYR supervisor Graham Toporowski said “we don’t have that luxury.”

The facility’s operations director said having nursing aspect to staffing, in his opinion, would be “critical for us.”

Chris Lyons said he’s come under criticism from the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region for how often youth do go to hospital, which he estimated at about 100 visits per year or more.

The jury’s solution is utilizing the nursing staff from the nearby Pine Grove’s Correctional Centre for women or hiring a medical professional on staff.

The concept of bringing in a nurse from the women’s institution, Pine Grove, which is less than 400 metres away, is not new or unexplored by staff at PAYR.

Both Graham Toporowski and Lyons have requested a nurse to come over to help in the past, but it has never panned out.

Another issue they identified was poor documentation of LaChance’s conditions. Three recommendations revolved around that, from designing a new form for staff to write down patient’s medical needs, mandatory daily documentation of youth conditions, and for the PAYR to go through documentation procedures with staff.

Finally, the group addressed LaChance’s special needs as a mostly deaf teen.

Their last recommendation is for PAYR to facilitate special communication needs for the youth in its custody.

The institution is limited in what it can provide people with special needs, Lyons said during his testimony, adding “we are a blunt instrument, let’s be frank.”

LaChance’s family reacts

The inquest took a toll on LaChance’s aunt, sister and mother.

Although they appreciate the recommendations gathered by the jury, there is one more they would add.

“When we have somebody who can’t speak, or can’t read or write, or can’t communicate, maybe that’s not necessarily the best place for that … young person to be in an environment like that. Because how are they to function and how are they to cope?” said a family representative Angie Bear.

She questioned the witnesses on behalf of the family during the inquest.

Bear said the jury’s thought and compassion helped the family get past their loss “because now you know, at least Dylan has a voice, you know. Somebody recognizes everything he went through in his last days. It’s not just the family grieving it by themselves.”

claskowski@panow.com

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk

by Chelsea Laskowski

Jury wants onsite medical help for in-custody youth

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