SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - No charges will be laid in the death of a nurse who died mysteriously after a night of Halloween celebrations with friends in Yellowknife more than a year ago.

Tara Michelle Osmond was found unresponsive in a Yellowknife apartment on Nov. 1, 2009, and was pronounced dead at Stanton Territorial Hospital the same day. A year-long RCMP investigation has concluded that the death was not the result of foul play. - NNSL file photo

"It is no longer a criminal investigation," said Sgt. Wayne Norris on Wednesday.

Tara Michelle Osmond, a 29-year-old community health nurse living in Behchoko, was found unresponsive in a Yellowknife apartment on Nov. 1, 2009, and pronounced dead at Stanton Territorial Hospital the same day. The cause of Osmond's death is not being revealed at the request of the family. Norris said there were also privacy concerns given that the case is no longer considered a criminal matter.

Her mother, Sharon Osmond, reached at her home in Hermitage-Sandyville, N.L., said the family did not want to comment.

The death was originally deemed suspicious because of the strange circumstances surrounding her death, said Norris.

"This was a 12-month investigation in regards to a relatively healthy young lady who had suddenly died," said Norris.

Nonetheless, for the police, the case is closed. Norris said the reason the investigation took so long were mainly due to the involvement of outside agencies, such as a forensic pathologist based in Alberta. Norris said the police had to conduct interviews, wait on results from forensic tests, and then sometimes re-conduct interviews based on new information.

As well, RCMP members were sent to Newfoundland over the last week to deliver the results of the investigation to Osmond's family in person.

"These things take time unfortunately," said Norris.

NWT chief coroner Cathy Menard said there will definitely be a coroner's investigation into the death, though she hadn't yet received the file when she spoke with Yellowknifer on Wednesday afternoon, shortly after the RCMP issued its press release announcing the end of its investigation.

"What we look for is the who, what, when, where, and why, and if perhaps there are any recommendations we can make to prevent future deaths," said Menard.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.