Barton st jail inquest

The family of 20 year old Julien Walton, the youngest of the inmates to die from drug overdose at the Barton street jail, said it was an emotional day hearing the details of his death but they are hopeful the inquest will bring changes.

Julien died of a Fentanyl overdose in the jail. He was admitted four months earlier for breach of probation and drug possession. His family telling the inquest that Julien was much more than that. They believed there was still hope and thought he would be coming home.

But on October 2nd 2015, Julien was was found slouching on the floor of his cell with his cellmate, both men wouldn’t wake up. A search of that cell after turned up marijuana, cocaine and fentanyl.

The inquest heard there were no nursing staff on that night and that correctional officers weren’t aware of his mental health issues. Julian was taken to hospital but never regained consciousness.

His family hopes no other family has to go through what they have.

We heard from some correctional officers today who said they know there are drugs in the jail, that it’s a normal occurrence but they can’t always find them and that more needs to be done because despite the body scanners implemented by the province, those drugs are still getting in.