B.C.’s police watchdog investigators are headed to Vernon after an incident in the RCMP cells there that left a woman in hospital.
The Independent Investigations Office was notified by Vernon RCMP on Thursday that a woman, arrested the previous day and being held in cells overnight prior to a court appearance, had gone into medical distress.
The woman spoke with RCMP officers and sheriffs on late Thursday morning, the IIO said in a news release Friday night, while in her cell in preparation for court.
Shortly after, she was seen to be in medical distress in the cell. Paramedics were called and the woman was transported to the hospital, where she remained as of Friday.
The cause of her medical distress is under investigation.
The IIO is the independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.
The Vernon RCMP have not commented publicly on the matter.
Steve Kidd
Senior reporter, Penticton Western News
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