CORONER’S INQUEST
Panel looking into teen’s suicide deliberating
The jury on the inquest into the April 2018 death of 13-year-old Kaleab Schmidt is now deliberating the matter.
Kaleab — who the inquest heard could actually have been as old as 16 due to uncertainty regarding documentation from Ethiopia, the country where he was born — died by suicide on April 30, 2018, at his family’s Balgonie-area farm.
The six-person jury began deliberations shortly after 10 a.m. on Friday after listening to instructions from presiding coroner Alma Wiebe. Wiebe explained the jury’s duties, which is not to assign blame but rather to determine circumstances of the death and to consider making recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future.
In this case, Wiebe said the jury likely wouldn’t have trouble reaching conclusions about the date, time, cause and manner of death. But she said they might have to spend a little more time thinking through what facts to find while contemplating recommendations.
The jury discussed the matter behind closed doors until close to 4:30 p.m. when they broke for the day. Unlike criminal trials, juries at inquests are not sequestered and so were allowed to return home for the weekend. They will continue deliberations on Monday morning.
During her instructions to the jury, Wiebe noted that while several witnesses testified Kaleab was experiencing racism and bullying at school in the time leading to his suicide, other witnesses said Kaleab hadn’t reported either during their dealings with him. Wiebe urged jurors to consider that detail as they look at what, if any, recommendations to make in those areas.
She also went over other evidence jurors heard in the course of the weeklong inquest, which included testimony from Kaleab’s parents, doctors, social workers, school administrators and government officials, as well as police officers who dealt with the teen prior to his death.
The inquest heard Kaleab and his siblings, adopted by Dean Schmidt and Sandra Barker-schmidt, moved from Ethiopia to Canada in 2011. While Kaleab excelled at school and sports, his parents and family doctor said he experienced racism and bullying at school.
Kaleab began to struggle both at school and at home, getting in fights with other students — at least once after reportedly being called the N-word — and ending up in conflicts with his family.
The jury heard how his parents sought help repeatedly, through doctors, mental health professionals, schools, social workers and the police — all to no avail. Kaleab attempted suicide in May 2017 by overdosing on pills. Then, in early April 2018, a sheet was found in the family’s barn, apparently for use as a noose.
Kaleab’s troubles continued that month, despite attempted interventions by his family. The day before he took his own life, he was criminally charged with assault following a fight at school a couple of days prior. Kaleab had reported he threw a punch at another boy after the boy tripped him during a noon-hour basketball game.
Any findings and recommendations ultimately found by the jury will be forwarded to the coroner’s office and, from there, to any agencies or individuals named in the report.
For anyone having thoughts of suicide, help is available 24/7 at Crisis Services Canada — Suicide Prevention and Support, 1-833-456-4566.