Coroner recommends better surveillance following 2024 death of Campbell’s Bay inmate
Carl Hager
The death of Katherine Herault on March 4 2024 at the Hull Hospital, after being held in custody in a cell at the SQ offices in Campbell’s Bay on March 1 of that year resulted in an inquiry as to the correctness of the actions of the officers concerned with her detention. Herault had been arrested after a search of her home and taken to the SQ station in Campbell’s Bay on March 1, 2024 and held in an interview room.
The BEI (Bureau des enquetes independantes), the police watch dog, concluded in a report of July 2025 that no criminal charges would be laid against the officers presiding over her detention. The BEI report concluded that the legal obligations of the police officers had been met.
Herault had been taken to jail by SQ officers and put in a detention cell where she suffered from a series of convulsions. It was later discovered that the woman suffered from chronic pulmonary disease, chronic anemia, depression and substance disorder. While being held alone in the detention room, during which time she apparently fell to the floor, there was no surveillance. During the course of this detention officers found cause to call in medical assistance. The woman died in hospital a few days later, from neurological complications. Questions arose about the quickness and efficacy of the actions taken by the SQ officers working at the station at the time of her detention.
Quebec coroner, Francine Danais reviewed the case. Danais concluded in her report of January 9th, 2026 that Herault’s death was accidental and that drug abuse, meta-amphetamines and cocaine found in her system, hastened the woman’s poor medical outcome.
The coroner recommends that the Ministry of Public Safety revise its guidelines and practices of people held in detention. More specifically the coroner urges the Surete du Quebec to review its practices and directives on the use of interview rooms in addition to those held in a cell block. The coroner recommends that a person be responsible for the “Close, regular and constant supervision” appropriate to the condition of a person in custody be carried out in order to ensure their well being.