The parents of an Oak Bay teen who died of a drug overdose say they donB次元官网网址檛 want other families to experience the trauma of having a child slip from their caring hands.
Rachel Staples and Brock Eurchuk made the comments Wednesday at the conclusion of a British Columbia coronerB次元官网网址檚 inquest into the overdose death of 16-year-old Elliot Eurchuk. The jury was scheduled to begin deliberations Thursday.
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want other children to navigate our community in a very difficult, vulnerable state and fall through the cracks like Elliot did,B次元官网网址� said Brock Eurchuk outside of the inquest. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l be dealing with my failures as ElliotB次元官网网址檚 father for the rest of my life.B次元官网网址�
After struggling with drug addiction for months, Elliot died in his bedroom with a fatal combination of drugs in his system on April, 20, 2018. The inquest is reviewing the circumstances leading up to the teenB次元官网网址檚 death and ends with the jury making recommendations to prevent future deaths in similar circumstances.
ElliotB次元官网网址檚 mother, told the jury how her sonB次元官网网址檚 drug issues started after he was prescribed pain medication for a series of surgeries. Staples and her husband believe that medical privacy laws were a barrier to getting their son the treatment he needed.
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Experts testifying Wednesday discussed the ethics of admitting a child with opioid addictions to involuntary care.
Kelowna pediatrician Tom Warshawski told the jury how opioid-users in todayB次元官网网址檚 drug climate are at a B次元官网网址渉igh risk of imminent death.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淣owadays all bets are off,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou always have to be prepared for an overdose, full stop. The landscape has totally changed.B次元官网网址�
Elliot was forcefully admitted to a psychiatric ward in Victoria for one week following a non-fatal overdose about two months before he died B次元官网网址� something Elliot saw as a betrayal, according to testimony from Staples on the first day of the inquest.
But Warshawski said that after an overdose, a personB次元官网网址檚 capacity is diminished, rendering them, at least temporarily unable to make decisions about their own care. He said compulsory treatment is sometimes necessary for youth with addictions B次元官网网址� citing the extremely high death rates from opioid use as a strong enough reason to disregard the wishes of the youth in question.
As it stands, the B.C. Mental Health Act allows involuntary hospital admissions or short periods of time, with the possibility of extension under a doctorB次元官网网址檚 order. But Warshawski said the same option should be available for long-term secure treatment facilities for uncooperative youth.
Island Health counsel asked him: B次元官网网址淚f a person overdoses on opioids, they are automatically not competent?B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 would say they are automatically not competent for a period of time,B次元官网网址� Warshawski responded. B次元官网网址淓ffects of overdose are comparable to a serious head injury B次元官网网址� in no way are they competent to make a significant life and death decision for a while after that event.
B次元官网网址淚t has to be looked at on a case by case basisB次元官网网址次元官网网址�
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Dr. Alice Virani, director of ethics for the Provincial Health Services Authority, took the stand late Wednesday morning.
She said autonomy is a key principle of bioethics but the lines can get blurred when it comes to children.
B次元官网网址淓very situation is going to be different and context specific,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淐apacity isnB次元官网网址檛 there or not there, it is decision specific. It can fluctuate over time.
B次元官网网址淚n relation to privacy, I think it does get quite complicated. We canB次元官网网址檛 just not do anythingB次元官网网址naction has consequence too. We are in a difficult situation where you have to act in the face of lack of good evidenceB次元官网网址�
The eight-day inquest heard from more than 40 witnesses.
B次元官网网址� with files from Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press
nina.grossman@blackpress.ca
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