Public Inquest into the Death of Terry Baker

The public Inquest into the death of Terry Baker begins Monday, January 22nd. It will be held virtually and is expected to take 15 days with 18 witnesses set to speak.

Terry, a 30-year-old woman, was incarcerated at the Grand Valley Institution (GVI) for Women in Kitchener, Ontario, when she died in segregation on July 6, 2016. Through the inquest process, the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) is hopeful that the public will learn the truth about what happened to her and is participating in the inquest after having been granted standing in 2020.

Terry Baker died in the same range of segregation cells as Ashley Smith did, nine years previous. Terry struggled with mental illness, as do a significant percentage of Canada’s federally incarcerated population. To have someone with diagnosed mental health considerations die in the same physical location nine years later should raise serious concerns for all of us.