Ontario family alleges 83-year-old was euthanized without consent

The family of 83-year-old Brigitte Stegemann is seeking an investigation after she underwent Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) at The Pearl care home in Cannifton, Ontario, on July 10. Her granddaughter and primary caregiver, Brigitte Kranendonk, alleges the procedure was carried out without valid consent and exploited Stegemann’s vulnerabilities.

Kranendonk claims that Stegemann, who suffered from stage 4 stomach cancer, had previously expressed a desire to die naturally and rejected MAiD. The family alleges that during cognitive assessments, Stegemann failed to answer basic questions correctly, such as identifying her living siblings. Furthermore, Kranendonk asserts that medical practitioners used vague language, avoiding terms like “death” or “dying,” and instead promised the patient she would “feel at peace.”

The procedure was reportedly botched, with a failed IV insertion that left the patient covered in blood. Kranendonk has appealed to the Ontario Chief Coroner’s Office, the Patient Ombudsman, and the Belleville Police to determine if the death was lawful and whether the practitioners were inappropriately motivated by ideology.