The Helen Grus Case: How Policing Became Politicized
A suspicious spike in infant deaths led her to investigate. Instead, she faced suspension, surveillance, and prosecution.
In this conversation, investigative journalist Donald Best breaks down the Helen Grus case — a senior Ottawa police detective who tried to investigate a reported spike in unexplained infant deaths, only to be suspended, surveilled, and prosecuted.
Her story raises troubling questions about whether political pressures are now overriding standard police procedures and independent investigation in Canada.
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About Donald Best
Donald Best is a former Sergeant and Detective with the Toronto Police Service, where he spent 15 years conducting undercover operations and investigating organized crime, corruption, and fraud.
With over four decades of experience as an investigator and Certified Fraud Examiner, he now works as an independent journalist and filmmaker. Best is known for documenting high-profile cases, supporting whistleblowers, and advocating for transparency and accountability in Canadian institutions. His work has often come at significant personal cost, including a period of solitary confinement under charges that were later withdrawn.
He is the recipient of the 2018 Ontario Civil Liberties Award.
In 2021, Detective Helen Grus identified a significant spike in unexplained infant deaths in Ottawa and began investigating.
She found that basic investigative steps — including checking recent medical history and COVID-19 vaccination status — were being overlooked in the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse unit.
After raising internal concerns, Grus was suspended in February 2022, had her materials seized, and was subjected to surveillance (including wiretaps on family communications) under the anti-terrorism act.
Despite unusual cases, including infants dying suddenly in their parents’ arms, no broader investigation into the spike was pursued.
At her tribunal, expert witnesses supporting her actions were excluded, and the ruling emphasized that she should have sought permission due to the “political implications” of the case.
The case has been cited as an example of how political considerations may now override traditional independent policing principles, such as those established by Robert Peel.
Donald Best contrasts this with other instances of alleged political interference in Canadian law enforcement.