Friday, January 18, 2008

Chronology: Interrogation Of An Innocent Mother Series;

The following dates and related information may help the reader navigate this series:

All information contained in this chronology was obtained from an Overview Report of Nicholas' case prepared by Goudge Inquiry staff.

1995: 2 January; Nicholas is born in Sudbury, Ontario to Lianne Gagnon and Steven Tolin. They are both students at Laurentian University at the time but separated shortly after Nicholas' birth.

1995: November 30; Nicholas dies in Sudbury at the age of eleven months;

1996: Nov. 25; (A year later): The case is referred to a "Pediatric Death Review in Toronto" where it is assigned to Dr. Charles Smith at the Hospital For Sick Children who finds that the weight of the child's brain suggested foul play. (A conclusion which would later prove tragically wrong);

1997: Lianne gets engaged to Pierre Thibeault;

1997: May 7: (About eighteen months later): Deputy Chief Coroner Dr. Jim Cairns Cairns and Smith recommend a "re-examination" of Nicholas' body to Sudbury police, having reached the opinion that Nicholas died of a head injury and that the circumstance of the death were highly suspicious.

1997: June 19: Sergeants Keetch and West conduct their video-taped interview with Lianne Gagnon.

1997: June 25; Nicholas' body is disinterred in the presence of Dr. Smith. (Side issue: Smith brought his 11-year-old son to the disinterment;

1998: Lianne gives birth to Nicholas' sister who is immediately seized from her at birth by the local Children's Aid Society.