Coroner’s inquest makes recommendations to improve safety for inmates

Release

Department of Justice and Public Safety

September 17, 2025

EDMUNDSTON (GNB) – A jury at a coroner’s inquest has made recommendations aimed at improving safety for inmates in correctional facilities.

An inquest into the death of Wesley Geneau and Jarrett Lunn was held this week at the Edmundston courthouse. Geneau and Lunn were inmates at the Madawaska Regional Correctional Centre who both died at the Edmundston Regional Hospital. Geneau died of drug poisoning on Feb. 6, 2022, and Lunn died on April 9, 2022, due to complications from mixing medications.

Coroners and juries can classify a death as a homicide, suicide, accident, natural causes or manner undetermined. The inquest found both these deaths resulted from accidents.

The five-member jury heard from 11 witnesses and made recommendations to the following organizations:

To the Madawaska Regional Correctional Centre

·         Emergency bags should be checked during staff changes to confirm they are complete.

To the Madawaska Regional Correctional Centre and Vitalité Health Network:

·         Extend the period during which clients take their medications in the presence of a correctional officer and/or nurse to ensure proper administration.

Deputy chief coroner Emily Caissy presided over the inquest and made an additional recommendation:

·         The minister of justice and public safety should continue to support adult detention services in the search for new and improved technologies to counter the introduction of contraband into correctional facilities.

The chief coroner will forward these recommendations to the appropriate agencies for consideration and response. The response will be included in the chief coroner’s annual report for 2025.

An inquest is a formal court proceeding that allows for the public presentation of all evidence relating to a death. It does not make any finding of legal responsibility, nor does it assign blame. However, recommendations can be made, aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances in the future.