Latest news with #KarineSpénard
CTV News
23-06-2025
- CTV News
Quebec's coroner database aims to identify hundreds of bodies
The Quebec coroner's office is now making some of its oldest, coldest cases public in the hopes that someone, somewhere, might recognize something. The Quebec coroner's office is now making some of its oldest, coldest cases public — in the hopes that someone, somewhere, might recognize something. In February, the office launched an online public database of unidentified bodies, containing photos and descriptions of personal items found with them: sweaters, jewelry, tattoos, scars, shoes, wallets — even fragments of tattoos or dental work. So far, more than 120 cases have been posted, which officials say is only a fraction of what's to come. 'There are a lot of unidentified deceased persons,' said Karine Spénard, who is leading the work on the cases. 'In the last 40 years, we have about 500 to 600 people we still haven't identified.' The database is part of a modernization effort launched under Quebec's current chief coroner two years ago. Along with a multi-agency working group that revisits unsolved files, the new tool is meant to directly involve the public — something officials say is critical to solving cases that might otherwise remain buried. Spénard said that even after decades, the right clue — a jacket, a scar, a pair of boots — can spark a lead. 'We've had people say, 'I think this could be my brother,' just by seeing photos,' she said. 'We're now able to go back and match bodies with medical records or DNA — but we need that first spark. The public gives us that.' One of the people watching the database closely is Suzanne Lejeune, whose sister, Louise, disappeared from LaSalle in 1990. Louise had moved from Ontario to Quebec to be near her son, who was being taken care of by her mother in Châteauguay on Montreal's South Shore. Diagnosed with schizophrenia while pregnant, she was receiving disability support and living on limited means. 'She really hoped that she would get better and eventually regain custody,' said Lejeune. 'She only cared about her son.' Louise took the bus every week to visit him — until one day, she stopped. 'She missed her December visitation and then Christmas,' she said, adding she and other family members didn't realize she was missing for years. At the time, she said she and her sisters were no longer speaking to their mother. It wasn't until 1995 that she was told Louise had been gone since 1990. Even more troubling, Lejeune later found out that her sister's disappearance hadn't been reported right away. She said it wasn't until Louise's boyfriend called police in February 1991 that a missing persons file was opened. Today, Lejeune said there are still no suspects, no evidence, and no leads. 'No body, no crime, no justice,' she said. 'I can't do anything to find out what happened to her without a body.' She described her sister as kind, shy, and vulnerable — someone who likely could have trusted the wrong person. Louise also didn't speak French. 'She was the smartest out of all of us — the sweetest and she didn't deserve whatever happened to her,' said Lejeune. If Louise's case were added to the coroner's new site, Lejeune believes she might recognize something, like the sweater she always wore. 'It was a thick, grey wool sweater with a purple collar. I would always tease her about it being ugly, but she loved it,' she said. 'It was the last thing she was seen wearing.' The database, she said, could be especially helpful for families like hers — those who missed the chance to raise the alarm early on, and are still holding out hope decades later. 'Sometimes, a visual is what clicks. Someone sees a piece of clothing and remembers,' she said. The site also includes a tip line for anyone who thinks they recognize something. Spénard said they're gradually uploading more cases, which could include files that date back as far as 1953. Since forming the cold case working group, Spénard said the coroner's office has confirmed 22 identities. Private investigator Stéphane Luce, founder of Unresolved murders and disappearances in Quebec (MDIQ), a citizen-led investigative group, called the database a 'great surprise,' and something he believes could be a game-changer if used properly. 'In the past, we would hear about a murder or a missing person, but with almost no details,' Luce said. 'Now, with those kinds of tools, we can get lots of information, especially with photos.' He added that public access is critical to progress. 'They need information from the public to be able to solve these cases,' he said. 'They need to work more closely with the public and with private investigators like us. We're all part of the same puzzle.' For Lejeune, it all comes down to one thing. 'Hope,' she said. 'A piece of clothing, a fragment of something — that's all I'm looking for.'
CTV News
13-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Quebec coroner cites serious failings in woman's death after cosmetic surgery
A Quebec coroner has found that the death of a 48-year-old woman who underwent cosmetic surgery at a private clinic in Westmount was avoidable. In a recently released report, Coroner Karine Spénard identified several egregious failures by the surgeon and medical staff present during the Nov. 1, 2022, plastic surgery and issued recommendations. During her investigation, Spénard found that the woman was supposed to be put under local anesthesia but was put under general anesthesia, which requires the presence of an anesthesiologist. However, there was no anesthesiologist present. The surgery was performed by Dr. Sandra McGill, the owner of the clinic, with the assistance of a respiratory therapist, an operating room nurse, an outpatient nurse, and a scrub nurse. Additionally, the report also states the respiratory therapist administered sufentanil, a synthetic opioid considered to be seven to 10 times more potent than fentanyl, breaking protocol and without informing McGill. The coroner noted that since the death, the respiratory therapist has not been registered with the Professional Order of Respiratory Therapists (Ordre professionnel des inhalothérapeutes du Québec). 'In this case, the syndic was indeed notified of the situation, and a disciplinary hearing was held in 2024, at the end of which the respiratory therapist pleaded guilty to the offenses with which he was charged,' Spénard wrote. The report also states that the outpatient nurse was not registered with the Quebec Order of Nurses (Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec). 'She has extensive experience working as a nurse in another country with clinical care similar to Canada's but is not authorized to work as a nurse in Quebec or to use the title,' the report states. 'However, she presented herself to patients as a nurse and was hired as such by the medical clinic. She attended X's surgery and was the one who informed the anesthesiologist of the situation around 7 p.m., in addition to administering intravenous medication.' A second individual who was also acting as a nurse during the surgery was not registered with the order, the coroner said. Moreover, the coroner said the professionals involved in the case were blaming each other regarding their respective responsibilities. According to the report, the Mirabel woman's cause of death was severe cerebral anoxia, which occurs when the brain is completely deprived of oxygen. 'Out of respect for the ongoing disciplinary process, and while the Disciplinary Council of the Collège des médecins du Québec is deliberating, Dr. McGill will not be making any comments at this time,' the clinic said in a statement to CTV News. The Quebec College of Physicians is currently conducting its own investigations and has accused McGill of allowing employees to identify themselves as nurses when they were not, noncompliance in maintaining medical records, and failure to adequately inform a patient or obtain consent for treatment. The coroner has recommended the College of Physicians review the quality of professional acts provided during the surgery and, when put in place, appropriate measures to improve the quality of patient care. She also recommended that the Quebec Order of Nurses take appropriate measures to ensure the protection of the public in light of the death.
