CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A coroner has determined an inquest is not necessary following the tragic deaths of Josh Underhay and his young son Oliver in April.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice and Safety says Dr. Craig Malone has completed his investigation into the two deaths.
“Our of respect for the family, the chief coroner’s office will not be commenting further on their investigation,’’ she said in an email to The Guardian Tuesday.
The Office of the Chief Coroner has a duty to conduct an investigation when a death has occurred by accident as per the Coroners Act, the spokeswoman noted. This investigation, she added, consisted of collecting information from witnesses, the police and medical reports including the autopsies.
Malone told The Guardian earlier this year the number one reason to hold an inquest is if there is a concern for public safety.
Underhay and his six-year-old son Oliver died April 19 after their canoe capsized on the Hillsborough River.
The two were reported missing to Queens District RCMP at 4:20 p.m. that day. They had not returned to their pick-up spot on time.
Authorities located the two in the water near the capsized canoe. Both had been wearing flotation devices. They were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown where they were declared dead.
Underhay, 35, was the Green candidate in District 9 Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park for the provincial election that took place just days after his death.
The tragedy cast a pall over the final stretch of the election campaign and devastated staff and students at Birchwood Intermediate, where Underhay taught.
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