Inquest in Terry Baker’s 2016 death at Kitchener prison set for later this month | CBC News

A new date has been set for the inquest into the death of Terry Baker.

Baker, 30, was serving a life sentence at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, Ont., when she died on July 6, 2016.

Under the Coroners Act, an inquest is mandatory because Baker was an inmate at the time of her care.

The inquest will be held virtually starting on Jan. 22 and is expected to take 15 days. The inquest is expected to hear from 18 witnesses.

An inquest was set to begin on April 11, 2023 in Hamilton, but that was delayed after the coroner overseeing the inquest said he was waiting for documents from Correctional Service Canada.

Delayed documents

Dr. David Eden said in a decision issued April 5, 2023 that he did not think a “full, fair and efficient inquest” into Baker’s death could proceed without the documents from Correctional Service Canada.

Correctional Service Canada had argued the inquest could proceed because “the majority of the materials” had been provided to Eden.

A coroner’s inquest into Baker’s death was originally announced in December 2017 after Baker was found unresponsive in her cell. 

Kim Pate with the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, told CBC News at the time that there were concerns about “significant mental health issues” for Baker. Baker was believed to have been in segregation at the time of her death, Pate said.

Baker was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder for her role in helping torture and murder Orangeville teen Robbie McLennan.