Article content continued

He died early the next morning. An autopsy determined the cause of death was a meth overdose.

Kilburn staff should have known the deceased was continuing to use drugs while in custody, as the boy told staff he was overdosing and needed to be taken to a hospital, according to the statement of claim filed last week.

Instead, staff decided to monitor the teen, saying he had previously falsely claimed to have taken drugs and that similar “medical episodes” had resolved in the past, the lawsuit alleges.

Paramedics were called after the teen went unconscious. He was given medication in the ambulance that caused him to go into cardiac arrest, the lawsuit states. It claims the ambulance service knew, or ought to have known, that could have been the outcome, and therefore failed to provide proper medical care.

Statements of claim contain allegations that have not been proven in court.

Corrections spokesman Drew Wilby said the ministry was unaware of the lawsuit and the allegations it contains.

“As the matter is apparently before the court, we will not be commenting at this time,” Wilby said.

In addition to the $30,000 in general damages, the teen’s mother is also seeking special, punitive and aggravated damages, to be decided at trial.

An inquest into the teen’s death was held in November 2017 and ended with recommendations that included providing youth facility staff with training on drug overdoses and how to take vital signs.

bmcadam@postmedia.com

twitter.com/breezybremc