The parents of a Cape Breton teen found dead almost 25 years ago are still fighting for answers after an independent review ruled out foul play in his death.
Clayton Miller was found face down in a shallow brook two days after police raided a party in the woods in New Waterford in May 1990.
Investigations over the years have ruled the 17-year-old’s death an accident, but his parents have always suspected foul play and a subsequent cover-up by the police.
Nova Scotia’s chief medical examiner and the province’s independent police watchdog released their reviews last week and both cleared the police of any wrongdoing.
They said that Miller was drunk and trying to run from police when he fell into the stream. They also said he died of alcohol consumption and hypothermia.
But his parents say the reports have raised more questions than answers and are now pointing to a pathologists’ report written shortly after his death.
“And what it says is ‘manner of death, classified’ and Dr. Roache put in ‘violent’ and we’ve never seen that document before,” says Maureen Miller.
Ron MacDonald, director the Serious Incident Response Team, has seen the document and says that, in its proper context, it doesn’t say Miller died from an act of violence.
“Clayton Miller had no injuries that in any way indicated any violence to his death,” says MacDonald.
The family’s lawyer has also been investigating the case and says he has some questions of his own.
“How could so many people looking for Clayton in that area miss him if he was there on the Saturday when search parties were doing their work?” asks Ray Wagner.
But MacDonald says that question, and many others, were answered long ago.
“Unfortunately, we receive information and have, on other occasions, from the Millers, that when we check it out, as again is also detailed in my report, that doesn’t match the information they’ve provided us,” he says.
As for the Millers, they still believe there was a cover-up and they are vowing to continue their quest for answers.
