Family of child who died at Naja Isabelle group home sues, alleging negligence

The parents of a 12-year-old girl who died at the Naja Isabelle Group Home in Chesterfield Inlet are suing the company that ran the home, alleging “negligent acts and omissions” led to the death of their daughter.

Adrian Angidlik and John Tatty filed their lawsuit Jan. 2.

The 25-page statement of claim names the Pimakslirvik Corp., which ran the facility until March 2024, as well as the Nunavut government, as defendants.

Kennedy Presley Adele Kukuluk Innaksaq died on Jan. 6, 2024. She was one of two young people who died within a few months while in the care of the Naja Isabelle Group Home. The other resident, a 19 year old, died out of territory on Oct. 17, 2023. A third resident was hospitalized at around the same time.

The Department of Family Services announced an investigation into the home in February 2024 and subsequently did not renew its contract with the corporation, leading to the group home’s closure.

The lawsuit alleges a “reckless and shocking disregard” for Kennedy’s life and safety that led to “pain, discomfort, distress, and isolation from her family’s love, attention and affection.”

The lawsuit also alleges the Government of Nunavut failed to ensure staff at the group home were properly trained and supervised by the group home operators.

Kennedy was born with a disability that required specialized custodial care, according to the statement of claim. Her parents admitted her to the group home at age two.

Her official cause of death in the coroner’s report was “complications from ileus,” a temporary affliction of the digestive tract.

She had been admitted to the Chesterfield Inlet health centre on Dec. 13, 2023, after experiencing persistent pain for an extended period of time, the lawsuit states.

Medical staff in Chesterfield Inlet medevaced Kennedy to the Kivalliq Health Centre in Rankin Inlet for monitoring, where she awaited transfer to Winnipeg for specialized medical care.

Kennedy never made it to Winnipeg. She fell into a coma and did not regain consciousness before dying on Jan. 6, 2024.

The lawsuit alleges the group home did not inform Kennedy’s parents about her worsening condition and did not seek parental consultation or consent as she was transferred to Rankin Inlet for increased medical care.

A third-party review from January 2024 into the quality of care offered at the Naja Isabelle Group Home detailed a list of “deficiencies” discovered at the facility.

Nurses were prohibited from taking residents in need of medical care to the health centre without authorization, and described these delays as resulting in “several” medevacs in 2023. The review also outlined concerns about the handling and dispensing of medications.

“Employees were reusing single-use syringes by washing or steaming [them] in the microwave,” the review said.

Other issues included syringes being pre-filled with medication and improperly labelled; an unlocked narcotics cupboard; and a lack of internet access at Naja Isabelle, which prevented staff from researching medications online.

An RCMP investigation found no evidence of criminality at the group home.

Nunatsiaq News asked representatives with the Government of Nunavut for comment, but that request was declined.

“As this matter is now before the courts, we are unable to comment on the specific allegations or the details of the lawsuit,” said Casey Lessard, director of communications with Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, in an email.

“We will respect the legal process as it proceeds.”

Former Pimakslirvik Corp. CEO Marc Ippiak did not respond to a request for comment.

Adrian Angidlik and the family’s lawyer Andrew Morrison were not available for comment.

The lawsuit does not specify a dollar amount in damages. The parents express a desire for improved oversight of medical care for youth to ensure the circumstances experienced by Kennedy are not repeated for other families with medically vulnerable children.

It asks for a civil jury trial to be held in Rankin Inlet.