Ontario Chief Coroner asked to investigate MAID death after family alleges consent safeguards were breached

The complaint alleges that care home staff initiated private MAID discussions and helped complete and witness the application paperwork while the woman’s granddaughter, who held power of attorney for personal care, was away on a 10-day vacation.

 

Facebook / Brigitte Frances Kranendonk

An official complaint has been filed with Ontario’s Chief Coroner seeking an investigation into the medically assisted death of an 83-year-old Christian grandmother whose family alleges she lacked decision-making capacity and did not provide final consent.

Veteran and journalist Kelsi Sheren, who first broke the story on her Substack, revealed Sunday that the family of Brigitte Stegemann has formally requested a review by Ontario’s MAID Death Review Team.

Stegemann died July 10, 2026, at The Pearl, a long-term care facility in Cannifton, Ont., according to the complaint shared by Sheren.

Stegemann was reportedly a devout Christian whose faith was central to her life, adding to her family’s concerns about the circumstances surrounding her medically assisted death.

The family alleges Stegemann showed “significant, documented evidence of cognitive disorientation” during the MAID clinician’s assessment and was unable to recall basic information about her own family.

The complaint also alleges care home staff initiated private MAID discussions and helped complete and witness application paperwork while Stegemann’s granddaughter, who held power of attorney for personal care, was away on a 10-day vacation.

Most seriously, the family alleges the elderly woman was “remotely silent” on the morning of her death and failed to provide the required final verbal express confirmation before the procedure.

The complaint identifies Dr. Kate Koester, although misspelled in the complaint, as the attending clinician and asks the Chief Coroner to investigate Koester’s compliance with MAID legislation, as well as the actions of staff at the facility.

Sheren said the family gave her permission to make the complaint public.

The allegations contained in the complaint have not been proven, and the filing itself does not establish wrongdoing. The family is asking Ontario’s Chief Coroner to determine whether statutory safeguards, procedural requirements and consent rules were followed.

Sheila Gunn Reid

Chief Reporter

Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.

https://mybook.to/sheila

COMMENTS

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  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2026-08-17 21:06:21 -0400
    A state that considers murder to be compassionate is no longer a free country. It posits that we’re mere animals with the strong, the government, having the power of life and death. This is what “Elbozos” voted for.
  • ron hauck
    commented 2026-08-17 18:39:01 -0400
    Evil comes in all forms!