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Woman dies in police custody
Medicine Hat RCMP conducting external review

Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Thursday, January 14, 2016

INUVIK
An Inuvik woman has died while in police custody.

RCMP stated in a Jan. 12 news release the woman was in the process of being released from Inuvik RCMP cells Jan. 10 when she went into medical distress.

Officers administered first aid and took the woman to the Inuvik Regional Hospital, where she died.

The release stated the woman had been taken into custody the night before. Her identity and age was not released but the family of the deceased has been notified of her

death. "RCMP received a complaint from a concerned citizen about a person believed to be intoxicated walking along Bonnetplume Road in Inuvik," Const. Kevin Devoe stated.

"Members conducted a patrol and located an intoxicated female. The female was arrested without incident for being intoxicated in public. Police escorted the female to the Inuvik Hospital for a medical assessment, where she was considered fit for incarceration by the medical staff."

She was then taken to cells at the detachment, where she was slated for release when sober. Devoe said the woman had been co-operative throughout the night.

The incident triggered an external review, to be conducted by officers from the Medicine Hat Police Service. Staff Sgt. Trevor Humphries told the Drum from Medicine Hat two officers with the Major Crimes Unit arrived in Inuvik Jan. 12 at midday and would be conducting an investigation that would likely last the better part of the week.

"They are not junior members, one is a constable and one is a sergeant," he said, adding that interviews will be conducted with people outside the detachment if required.

All deaths in police custody trigger an automatic autopsy, which was to be conducted this week, said NWT chief coroner Cathy Menard. The body was transported to Edmonton Jan. 11 for a postmortem examination.

The final report, however, will likely take between four and six months to complete. Devoe stated the cause of death is not known at this time.

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