Coroner’s inquest underway into the death of Heather Ashley Winterstein
On March 30th, 2026, an inquest began into the death of Heather Ashley Winterstein, a 24-year-old Indigenous woman who died of sepsis on December 10, 2021, while seeking care at the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catherines, Ontario.
In Ontario, an inquest is a public hearing conducted by a Coroner and jury for the purpose of examining the circumstances leading to a death. Inquests do not assign blame, make findings of guilt of innocence, or result in sanctions. The jury is empowered to make factual conclusions about the death and may make recommendations to relevant parties aimed at preventing similar deaths from occurring in the future.
The inquest into the death of Heather Ashley Winterstein will examine issues including barriers to health care delivery on the basis of Indigenous identity, mental illness including substance use disorder, poverty, and other marginalized identities. The inquest will also consider the cause, identification, and treatment of bacterial sepsis in young adults, as well as policies and standards governing hospitals and health care providers.
Lawyers in the Aboriginal Law Practice Group Natai Shelsen, Rachael Gardner, and articling student Keddie Hughes represent the family of Heather Ashley Winterstein in this inquest. The inquest is being held virtually and is anticipated to take place over about 13 days with about 22 witnesses. The inquest is being livestreamed, and can be watched here.
You can read more about the inquest here:
CBC – “‘Massive hole in my life’: Brother of Heather Winterstein speaks of Niagara family grief at inquest start“, March 31, 2026
CBC – “You are going to be outraged’: Mother speaks ahead of inquest into daughter’s death at Niagara hospital“, March 29, 2026
Lawyers
Natai Shelsen, Rachael Gardner