Coy Laroque, 29, pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death in the Ontario Court of Justice on Monday, following the February 29, 2024, death of 23-year-old Dakota Robinson, according to court documents. The plea came after the Crown withdrew a manslaughter charge and two trafficking charges in front of Justice Enzo Rondinelli. Laroque’s matter is scheduled to return to court on December 16, 2026, for sentencing.
Court Proceedings and Co-Accused Status
While Laroque entered his guilty plea on Monday, his co-accused faces a separate legal timeline. According to court records, Sierra-Lynn Nadon had her charges elevated to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice earlier this year. Sierra-Lynn Nadon is currently answering to accusations of manslaughter, cocaine trafficking, and fentanyl distribution connected to the passing of Robinson. None of the allegations against Nadon have been tested in court, and she is considered innocent until proven guilty. Nadon is expected to return to court on November 19 to make a plea.
Laroque and Nadon were originally charged by the Ontario Provincial Police Sault Ste. Marie detachment just over a year after Robinson’s death. According to an OPP news release, emergency responders—including the Batchewana First Nation Police Service, Sault Ste. Marie Paramedic Service, and Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services—were dispatched at 6:25 a.m. on March 1, 2024, to check on an unresponsive woman at a home located on Gran Street within the Batchewana First Nation. The 23-year-old female was located at the scene and pronounced dead.
Did You Know? Emergency services responded to a residence on Gran Street in Batchewana First Nation at 6:25 a.m. on March 1, 2024, where a 23-year-old female was located and pronounced dead.
Victim’s Family Perspectives and Terminology
In 2025, Vicki Robinson spoke with SooToday about the loss of her daughter. Although Vicki Robinson was not with her daughter at the time of her death, she told the outlet she believes Dakota was intending to use only cocaine on the night she was killed. She suspects the substance was laced with a fatal dose of fentanyl without her daughter’s knowledge.
The distinction in how these fatalities are described remains a point of discussion among advocates. Although police documents containing sworn statements for both individuals accused apply the word overdose, certain advocates choose the designation drug poisonings, particularly in instances where an individual lost their life due to a substance they never meant to ingest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charge did Coy Laroque plead guilty to?
Court documents show Laroque pleaded guilty to a single count of criminal negligence causing death in the Ontario Court of Justice.
What happened to the other charges Laroque originally faced?
Justice Enzo Rondinelli presided when the Crown chose to drop the two trafficking counts alongside the manslaughter charge.
When is Laroque scheduled to return to court?
Laroque’s matter will return to court on December 16, 2026, for sentencing.
What charges does Sierra-Lynn Nadon face?
Sierra-Lynn Nadon is facing allegations including manslaughter alongside cocaine and fentanyl trafficking charges stemming from Robinson’s death.
How are community advocates describing these types of fatalities?
While police sworn statements use the term overdose, some advocates prefer the term drug poisonings, particularly when an individual is killed by a drug they did not intend to take.
How do you view the distinction between legal definitions and advocate terminology in fatal drug investigations?
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