“Infinite sadness”: he admits that he did not help his dying spouse

Approaching the courtroom, Clément Simard brought his hand to his chest. “Are you correct? Asked her lawyer. “Yes,” replied the octogenarian, who was going to find himself before a judge as a accused.

The magistrate described this case file infinitely After hearing the 82 -year -old man recognize his guilt for jeopardizing the health of his spouse. Clément Simard, of Sainte-Pétronille on the island of Orleans, did not provide the necessary support for his wife, Henriette Morency Simard.

The 82 -year -old woman, to whom he had been married for 60 years, died a few hours after her admission to the hospital on October 25, 2023. The couple had no children.

Clément Simard worked as a man to do everything when he was asked for news from his spouse. Mr. Simard seems worried and says that his wife has not been doing well for a few daysaccording to the joint presentation of the facts presented to the Court.

Henriette Morency Simard suffers from stomach aches and remains permanently on the toilet. The husband is suggested to call an ambulance, but he replies that the telephone line is cut.

The next day, her employer’s secretary went there. She finds that the house is unhealthy. Ms. Morency Simard sits on the toilet, inert, hanging arms and sagged body.

In addition to the intervention of the paramedics, that of the firefighters is necessary: they must move furniture to get the woman out of the house. The ambulancers note a neglected body hygiene and the swollen legs of Mme Morency Simard.

Palliative care

The urgentologist who takes care of her is troubled by her condition. The woman is quickly transferred to palliative care to receive comfort care, her condition being considered irreversible.

According to the doctor, Ms. Morency Simard died of an acute infection and a failure of several organs. The urgentologist will communicate with the police, which will trigger an investigation for criminal negligence causing death.

The Sûreté du Québec investigation will finally lead to the deposit of a lower accusation, the intellectual capacities of Clément Simard having been taken into account.

He was accused of having omitted to provide the things necessary for existence of his spouse As the woman was in destitution or the need.

Witnesses described Clément Simard as a good gentlemanworking, kind, sweet, helpful and a little slow intellectually. At home, it was his spouse who took care of everything: payment of accounts, appointment, organization of daily life.

During his police interrogation, the octogenarian said he left school in sixth year. He mentions that his wife was sick, but that she refused to go to the hospital. She no longer left the toilet, and he tried to nourish her with milk, without success.

He ended up having covers and pillows around her. He thought she was going come back and get up. He repeats that the telephone line was cut, even if, in fact, that was not the case.

The trouble

This is a very singular caserecognized judge Thomas Jacques, after having read the common suggestion of lawyers for pursuit and defense.

The prosecutor Valérie Bélizaire-Joseph and the accused’s lawyer, Me Stéphanie Pelletier-Quirion, proposed a 12-month sentence to serve in the community.

By pronouncing the sentence, the magistrate spoke in a loud and slow voice to make sure that Clément Simard understood the decision.

The octogenarian will not be able to leave his residence, except for certain emergencies, for the next six months. He will then have to respect a curfew until the complete expiration of his sentence.