A coroner’s inquest ruled that a Moncton teen committed suicide when she fell from a moving school bus.
The province says Hailey Pierce, then 13, died at a Moncton hospital on April 13, 2022, after she was injured falling out of a bus in the Dorchester district of Tantramar.
The jury in the coroner’s inquest ruled the death a suicide, according to a news release from the provincial government.
A coroner’s inquest is a court proceeding that lets the public see all the evidence relating to a death, but it does not look to find anyone legally responsible.
The jury was made up of five people and heard from 15 witnesses.
Their recommendations going forward are:
- Any teachers or individuals working with children in a school setting be given training on how to handle student mental health situations.
- Appoint a single primary psychiatrist to be in charge of a patient’s mental health medications to approve changes to prescriptions.
- Alternative learning environments be available outside of the traditional classroom environment for students struggling with mental health due to stress caused by that environment.
- Better resources for students who are deemed high risk, such as those admitted to a psychiatric hospital, or an extended period of time to monitor patients and their progress and reactions to medications, with follow-up appointments and evaluations by the assigned psychiatrist.
- Better communication between medical organizations within the province regarding a patient’s medical history.
- Separate areas within emergency departments that are more private and calm for mental health patients waiting to be seen.
- A more proactive approach to communication between professionals involved with a patient to identify changes and potential gaps in their care.
- An additional adult or monitor should be seated at the rear of a bus. Driving should be the sole focus of the driver.
- Assigned seating, or be able to seat students toward the front of the bus as needed, much like how classrooms are organized.
- A mechanical interlock that does not allow emergency doors to be opened while the bus is travelling over a certain speed.
- More internal support within schools, such as additional resource teachers, guidance counsellors and education assistants.
- Sufficient support be available to parents or guardians to provide assistance in dealing with mental health within the family.
The province says the chief coroner will send these recommendations to different agencies. Any responses will be included in the chief coroner’s annual report for the year.
