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A woman who died in Swift Current over the weekend refused help from police and EMS before being taken into custody under The Mental Health Services Act, according to a government news release.
The death is being investigated by the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT), which received a notification from the RCMP on Sunday afternoon, said the news release issued Wednesday.
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RCMP issued its own release Monday, informing media of the incident and SIRT’s involvement. Wednesday’s update from the province shed more light on the events leading up to the woman’s death.
Shortly after 11 a.m. on May 5, Swift Current RCMP received a request from an individual to conduct a wellness check on a family member.
“The subject of the report, a 55-year-old female was located at a local hotel, but refused assistance from both police and EMS,” the release said. “Ultimately the woman was taken into custody without incident under The Mental Health Services Act, and placed directly into the waiting ambulance.”
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While being transported to Cypress Regional Hospital, the woman went into medical distress and became unresponsive, the release continued. She was admitted to hospital, but was pronounced deceased at 12:26 p.m.
A SIRT team consisting of the civilian executive director and four investigators was sent to Swift Current to start an investigation that will look into the conduct of police during the incident, “including the circumstances surrounding the woman’s detention and the cause of her death.”
A final report is expected within 90 days of the conclusion of the investigation.
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