The coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Raphaël André, a man experiencing homelessness who was found dead in downtown Montreal, found that he had benefited from services, support and care on several occasions in the two years before his death.
The man of Innu origin, nicknamed Napparaphael in his community – and referred to as such at coroner Stéphanie Gamache’s inquest – was found dead on the morning of Jan. 17, 2021, in a chemical toilet in downtown Montreal, during a public health emergency linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first witnesses to testify were police officers, who described the scene and the witnesses they interviewed as part of their investigation. The police investigation concluded that there was no third party involved in Napparaphael’s death.
From the outset, the coroner warned that her inquest would “not be a public inquiry into homelessness in its entirety,” nor would she be looking for culprits.
“There will always be a certain amount of mystery surrounding Napparaphael’s death, since he is unfortunately no longer here to tell us about his last hours,” concluded the coroner.
The hearings will be held from May 13 to 24, and then from June 3 to 14 in Longueuil.
– This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 13, 2024.