Jury in First Nations student deaths inquest set to deliver recommendations in Thunder Bay, Ont.
7 students from remote First Nations died in Thunder Bay, Ont., between 2000 and 2011
A coroner's inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations youth in Thunder Bay, Ont., is expected to issue dozens of recommendations on Tuesdayfor keeping Indigenous students safe in the city, but it's theverdict on how the studentsdied that could provemost contentious.
The inquest is examining the deaths of Jethro Anderson, Curran Strang, Paul Panacheese, Robyn Harper, Reggie Bushie, Kyle Morriseau and Jordan Wabasse.All of the students came from remote First Nations to attend high school in Thunder Bay. They died between 2000 and 2011.
Bodies of five of thestudents were found in rivers in Thunder Bay. Months of testimony from police, schoolmates and family members havenot revealedhow the boysgot into the water. There has beenno indication of suicide.
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On Tuesday, the jury of four women andone manwill issue a verdict indicating whether they believe the drowning deaths were accidental or undetermined.
An undetermined ruling leaves the door open for thetheory that at least some of the boys werepushed into the river, perhaps in a raciallymotivated altercation.
A former studenttold the inquestabout swimming for his life after beingthrown into a river at night by a group of young men he didn't know.
Many other students have testified about food, bottles and hate speech being hurled at them from passing cars in the city.
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Family seeks homicide verdict
The family of another student, Robyn Harper, 18, who died on the floor of her boarding home after a night of binge-drinking, has asked the jury to rule her death a homicide.
Their lawyer argued that Harper's boarding home parent and school support staff ought to have taken the severelyintoxicated teen to hospital.
Thelong-awaited inquest began in October 2015 and heard many days of emotional testimony from parents of the students, as well as heated legal arguments from the 11 parties represented in the proceedings.
Here's some of what wasrevealedabout each of the students:
Find complete coverage of the inquest here:First Nations student deaths inquest
Watch live streamingvideo from the First Nation student deaths inquest here.
Follow CBC Thunder Bay reporter Jody Porteras she tweets from the inquest.