Inquest rules Abbotsford inmate's drug-related death was accidental

A coroner’s inquest has ruled that the death of Kendal Lee Campeau, an inmate at the Pacific Institution in Abbotsford, was accidental. Campeau, 31, died of methadone toxicity on November 14, 2021, after being returned to the prison following a hospital visit.

The jury recommended that Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and Fraser Health implement a “written clinical handoff process” for inmates returning to custody after receiving treatment at external healthcare facilities. This process would require documentation of the inmate’s clinical condition at discharge, any treatment provided, and specific follow-up or monitoring instructions.

Campeau, a member of the Yellow Quill First Nation, was serving a seven-year sentence at the time of his death. While the inquest aimed to determine the circumstances of the death and prevent future occurrences, the jury made no findings of legal responsibility.