City of Guelph Acquitted of Charges in Warren Case

Hard to believe that it's been almost four years since teenager Isabel Warren died after a wall collapsed on her in a washroom at a south end park. The fallout included a full city review of facilities and resulted in more than a few closures and repairs in buildings across Guelph.

Since that time, it's been a point of legal curiosity if the City of Guelph was at all culpable in the death of this young woman, and on that account, the court finally release a decision today.

Here's the press release from City Hall:

GUELPH, ON, February 12, 2013 – This morning, the City was acquitted of a charge laid by the Ministry of Labour for failing to ensure a safe workplace after a wall collapsed in the washroom in South End Community Park on June 16, 2009.

“Neither the City nor the community will forget the tragic incident that claimed the life of 14-year old Isabel Warren,” said the City of Guelph’s Chief Administrative Officer, Ann Pappert. “We hope the court decision offers some closure, and our thoughts are with Ms. Warren’s family and friends."

The City was not criminally charged in relation to Ms. Warren’s death, but the Ontario Ministry of Labour charged the City with failing to ensure its workplace was safe by ensuring every part of the structure could resist all loads to which it was subjected under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.