A woman in her 90s passed away after being discovered outside her seniors’ residence on January 1 in Lac-au-Saumon, located in Quebec’s Lower Saint-Lawrence region. The deceased was a resident at Domaine Lac-au-Saumon, a privately owned seniors’ residence. According to provincial authorities, the woman was found in critical condition outside the facility at 8:00 a.m. and emergency responders attempted to revive her. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her condition after being transferred to a hospital.
The provincial police have initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, and an autopsy is scheduled to be conducted. Marythé Bolduc, spokesperson for Sûreté du Québec, stated, “All possible scenarios are being considered at this time.”
France Lepage, the director of the seniors’ residence, expressed profound sorrow, mentioning that in her 28 years of service, she had never encountered such a tragic event. She emphasized the emotional toll it has taken on her and the support being offered to the family during this difficult period.
Lepage, who also serves as the head nurse at the facility, informed Radio-Canada that the deceased had resided in the independent living section of the residence for nearly two years. In this area, residents have the freedom to move around as they please. She reassured that the residence has a sophisticated security system in place to comply with all regulatory standards. Residents with cognitive impairments or a tendency to wander are provided with bracelets to control their movements.
Furthermore, Lepage mentioned that the residence has cooperated fully with the police, providing them with all relevant surveillance footage for their investigation.