Coroner’s inquest recommends improvements for cases involving minors
The jury at a coroner’s inquest has recommended changes to improve investigations and oversight in cases involving minors.
The inquest in Saint John this week was looking into the death of Aaliyah Burrell, who died March 12, 2021.
The inquest was recommended after Burrell’s case was reviewed by the Child Death Review Committee.
The inquest found the manner of Burrell’s death was undetermined, while the jury determined the cause of death to be sharp force trauma.
The five jurors heard from 12 witnesses and made several recommendations, including creating a standard operating procedure for law enforcement agencies in cases involving the death of a minor. This would include requirements that forensic identification services be involved and that every person present at the time of death be interviewed.
Other recommendations included:
- That coroner training be enhanced to ensure coroners are empowered to fully exercise their authority when conducting investigations involving the death of a minor
- That a coroner and law enforcement be required to attend all Type 2 autopsies involving minors
- That the presence of extended care paramedics be ensured in rural areas
- That the appropriate authority or district ensure families choosing to home-school their children are subject to periodic wellness checks to support ongoing monitoring of student well-being
- That all requests for additional services, such as forensic identification or victim services, be formally documented, including the rationale for any decisions made
The recommendations will be sent to appropriate agencies for consideration and response.
The response will be part of the chief coroner’s annual report for 2026.
