Image copyright CTV Image caption Ms Cappetta says Dr. Yahya is ‘one of the most controversial pediatric pathologists in the world’
The parents of an eight-year-old boy whose cause of death is being disputed say they are being treated “like a Mafia hit” by public officials.
Pediatric pathologist Dr. William R. Yahya ruled Jordan Cameron died from pneumonia while using an isolated drinking tube, meaning the Crown’s case to prosecute an illegal drug injection was circumstantial.
However, his findings were challenged by medical experts who raised concerns about his conclusion.
The doctor – a former president of the Society of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, known as SOGHHN – is also being accused of mishandling a girl who died at the same facility.
SOURCES
BBC
The officer who arrested Mr Yahya on charges including obstructing justice, perjury and breach of trust was himself arrested, in what critics say was a politically motivated swoop.
But Dr Yahya’s lawyer Gloria Allred said his prosecution was baseless, calling the case a “politically motivated witch hunt”.
The New Democrat Member of Provincial Parliament for London North Centre and who was at the same SOGHHN conference in 2014 has accused his chief of staff David Colbath of helping Mr Yahya’s chief of staff manipulate a photo of Mr Yahya sitting with a cabinet minister for a photo opportunity, which led to the renewed investigation and arrest.
In an interview with the Guardian, she also accused the Official Opposition party of being involved, saying she received a call from one of its key members suggesting they should “go after” her.
However, Keith Egli, a lawyer for the governing Progressive Conservative Party, denied that his party had anything to do with the investigation and that there was no political involvement.
School council meets
The now eight-year-old boy’s parents will make an appeal for their son’s cause of death to be re-opened in the Ontario Court of Appeal on Tuesday.
The family said they are being pursued because of their son’s beliefs regarding religion and his treatment at Wellspring Hospital in London.
News of the family’s efforts to sue for more openness has prompted more than 100 parents in the area to demand changes to policies and procedures at the hospital.
The leadership of the hospital has pledged to send clear messages to staff to ensure parents are kept informed and has pledged to review allegations against the medic who testified against the Cameron family.
About 635 members of the London District Catholic School Board are attending a meeting on Tuesday night to discuss rules on their use of medication and procedures during emergencies.
Under its current guidelines, parents are allowed to hand their child to a professional to administer doses of medication in an emergency – but not to do so themselves.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Parents and staff are disagreeing over a new approach to emergency responses to overdoses.
Rafi Yasar, from the board’s safety committee, said he is concerned about the interpretation of the new guidelines and wants to dispel rumours which have caused a rift between members of staff and parents.
He is also seeking advice from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists in an effort to improve training.
Canadian Public Health Agency Director, Dr. Joseph Finn, said while it is important that the safety of children is considered, there can be consequences for doctors and nurses as well, which needs to be balanced.
The Supreme Court of Canada announced it will hear a challenge by physicians to new criteria for flu tests used by coroners to determine whether someone died of a flu-related illness or other related cause.
The case centres on the fact that coroners do not have a legal basis to investigate underlying health conditions in addition to the physical evidence in an otherwise clinical death.
Patients have been rejected for tests to determine the cause of death or informed the results did not match what was said by a doctor or someone else to them.