Inquest hears inmate’s request to go to hospital hours before death

A jury looking into the death of EMDC inmate Drew Pearson viewed video of him asking to go to the hospital after his arrest. Nick Paparella reports.

The jury at a coroner’s inquest looking into the death of a 29-year-old man who died while in custody viewed a video of the inmate as he was getting booked at London Police Service headquarters on Dec. 26, 2018.

While he is in the cell area, Drew Pearson tells officers he has back issues. He is heard saying, “My back is sore from falling.”

Pearson, who had a drug addiction at the time says, “Right now I have no place to live that’s why I’m staying at the [Men’s] Mission.”

He was arrested at the time and charged in connection with setting fire to a boarding house on St. Andrew Street in London.

When he asks an officer about going to the hospital, Const. Tyler Kerr, who was in the cell area, testified that he responded, “I think I said I’m not going to take you for a sore back…but if you have medical issues?”

The officer went on to say, “I wanted him to give me more information.”

The next day Pearson would be rushed to hospital from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre. He would die from staphylococcal sepsis.

The inquest is slated to last six more days.

Before it wraps up the jury is expected to make recommendations to prevent future similar incidents.