An investigation into drug-related deaths of five inmates at an Ontario prison on Monday, where one of them used to "self-medicate" with drugs to cope with mental illness and tragedy in his life. Stephen Frenette’s mother wrote in a statement read to the inquiry that her son had struggled with drug addiction for years.

"Stephen battled chronic depression, severe anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, which led him to self-medicate with drugs to try to cope with a world that is often ... thoughtless (toward) people with mental illness," Irma Van Oorschot wrote in her statement read by a lawyer.

The inquiry also examined the circumstances surrounding the deaths of five inmates at the Mid-East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario, where the deaths occurred at different times between October 2018 and April 2019.

Frenette, 35, died on September 20, 2018, according to the hearing, where his mother said her son was "steadfast" in his love for her and the rest of the family. She indicated that he turned to drugs to help forget the losses of those he loved dearly, adding: "He suffered a great tragedy that would be a major setback — his father died in 2000, and the friends he loved then passed away, then his beloved grandfather died in 2015."

Also, Chief Coroner Dr. Bob Reduch said the inquiry will look into overdose issues at the correctional facility where Frenette and the other inmates were held. He said the jury will hear evidence that will help them reach conclusions about the details of the deaths, and the jurors can make recommendations on how to prevent similar deaths in the future.

In addition to Frenette, the inquiry is examining the death of Daniel Foreman, 39, who died on October 3, 2018; David Poulin, 50, who died on December 29, 2018; Jonathan McConnell, 36, who died on April 28, 2019; and Susan Burga, 50, who died on August 10, 2019.

Jay Dhar, lawyer for the Ontario Coroner's Office, also said the investigation team is in contact with the families of the inmates, some of whom did not wish to participate in the inquiry. He said: "Their families are still grieving their losses, which they probably will never recover from. We will respect their wishes and inform them of the investigation results if they want."

The inquiry is expected to last 15 days and hear from about 25 witnesses.