A staff member and a city-operated long-term care (LTC) facility in Thunder Bay, Ont., are facing criminal charges in connection with the death of an 86-year-old resident a year ago. The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) initiated an elder abuse investigation on Feb. 11, 2025, following a report received by the Crimes Against Seniors’ Division about an incident that occurred 12 days earlier.
The investigation revealed that the resident of Pioneer Ridge Long Term Care Home sustained injuries while under the care of a staff member. Subsequent to the initial incident, additional unreported injuries were discovered, with no documentation found by officers. The resident, who passed away on March 6, 2025, remains unnamed by the police.
The TBPS stated that the facility neglected to take necessary measures to prevent serious harm or death to residents and attempted to impede a police inquiry. The accused staff member, a 52-year-old woman, has been charged with criminal negligence causing death, while the care home faces the same charge along with an obstruction of justice accusation. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
The Ministry of Long-Term Care was alerted to the incident and conducted an inspection at Pioneer Ridge. The facility, which is supported financially by the ministry and has a substantial waitlist, received non-compliance notifications related to falls prevention, skin and wound care, and critical incident reporting.
Additional inspections in 2025 revealed further issues, prompting compliance orders and fines for the facility. In response to findings of non-compliance, the ministry issued specific directives to address deficiencies in care and treatment protocols.
The TBPS is urging individuals with relevant information regarding the investigation to contact Det. Const. Kevin Middleton. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers. As the investigation progresses, the police service refrains from disclosing further details.