Coroner's inquest ordered into death of Fredericton-area teenager Lexi Daken

A coroner's inquest will be held into the death of 16-year-old Lexi Daken, who took her own life in February 2021, just days after being sent home from the Fredericton emergency department without receiving any mental health interventions.

Regional coroner Emily Caissy and a jury will publicly hear evidence from witnesses Nov. 6 to 10 in Fredericton to determine the facts surrounding Lexi's death, the province announced Wednesday.

The jury will also have an opportunity to make recommendations aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances.

Lexi's family is happy an inquest has been ordered, her father Chris Dakentold CBC.

"It's been frustrating," he said. "There's been like so many unanswered questions," including ones about the level of care Lexireceivedat the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital,not only on Feb. 24, 2021,the day she died, but other times shehad reached out for help. The Maugerville teenpreviously tried to take her own life in November 2020, he said.

"Hopefully this will give us the answers and the closure, I guess, that we probably need."

Lexi's death sparked public outcry and was thecatalyst for areview of mental health services. That review included a report by New Brunswick's child and youth advocate, who concludedherdeath could have been prevented.

According to the report, a guidance counsellor at Leo Hayes High School noticed theGrade 10 studentwas struggling and took herto theemergency department on Feb. 18, 2021.

Lexiwas assessed by the triage nurse as being "urgent"and requiring "emergency intervention." Yetshe only saw an ER physician, who repeatedly asked if she could keep herself safe at home. Lexi repeatedly answered that she could not.

After waiting about eight hours in hospital, Lexi finally replied, "Yeah, I think I can," and was sent home with a referral.

She died by suicide a week later.

Father struggles with 'what-ifs' as classmates graduate

The inquest announcement comes at a difficult time, said Daken. This would have been Lexi's graduation year.

"It was kind of emotional like, you know, to see all her friends graduating and stuff like that, right? So, you know, you always have those 'what-if' questions and, you know, 'had things turned out different, then,'" he said, the end of his sentence trailing off.

"So it ... always brings up more questions, I guess, and you know, more emotions."

"Even though it's been two and a halfyears, I think still some days it feels like yesterday."

The family was informed by the coroner a few months ago that an inquest would be held, said Daken, but only learned the date when it was publicly announced.

He said he doesn't know who the witnesses will be, or even if he will be called to testify.

'If [the jury] can make some recommendations that help anybody else down the road, then that's kind of the ultimate goal," said Daken.

An inquest is a formal court proceeding that allows for the public presentation of all evidence relating to a death. The New Brunswick Coroner Service is an independent fact-finding agency that does not make any finding of legal responsibility.

The inquest will be heldat the University of New Brunswick law school.

If you are in crisis or know someone who is, here is where to get help:

CHIMOhotline:1-800-667-5005 /http://www.chimohelpline.ca

Kids Help Phone:1-800-668-6868, Live Chat counselling atwww.kidshelpphone.ca

Canada Suicide Prevention Service:1-833-456-4566