Inquest into botched 911 reply to begin next month

A coroner's inquest will begin next month into the death of a Casselman, Ont., woman whose lifeless body was found in her home two days after she called 911.

Kathryn Missen,54, was in medical distress and was unable to speak when she dialled 911 on the afternoon of Sept. 1, 2014, her family said at the time.

Ontario Provincial Police Const. David Dionnewas sent to the homeafter being told by the dispatcher thatno voices were heard during the 911 call, and that there was trouble on the phone line.

When the dispatcher contactedDionne nine hours laterthe police officercleared the call, saying there was no further action required.

Missen was found dead in her home two days later. Dionne was later demoted to second-class constable for two years after pleading guilty at a disciplinary hearingto two counts of neglect of duty.

Joint inquest

The hearinginto Missen's death will be part a joint inquest also exploring the response to a 2013 boat crash near Sudbury, Ont.,that killed three people.

The joint inquiry will "provide an opportunity to enhance understanding of the 911 communications system and the coordination of emergency responders," Ontario's Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services said Friday in a media release.

"While the circumstances of these two incidents are different, the commonality shared among the four deaths concerns Ontario's 911 communications system," the ministry said.

The 15-day inquiry is expected to hear from 38 witnesses. The Ottawa portion of the inquiry will take place from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2.