Third death in three months at Ontario's 'worst jail'
An overdose is suspected after an inmate was found dead at the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre in London
An overdose is the suspected cause of death after an inmate was found unresponsive in his cell at the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre Thursday morning.
"I've heard it looks like an overdose. There's a police presence here," said lawyer Kevin Egan, who was at the jail this morning trying to visit a client.
"It looks like it was not natural causes. I can't imagine that the police would be here for several hours investigating a heart attack. My gut is that something more than a natural death has occurred."
Egan represents EMDC inmates in a class action lawsuit, and has been a vocal critic of conditions at the jail.
"This is the worst that the province has to offer, but other institutions are bad as well. There is a province-wide problem."
Politician calls for immediate action
Meanwhile, the MPP for Elgin-Middlesex London said he was shocked after hearing of another death at the jail.
"There are two things I'm requesting the province to do. Allow correctional officers to carry naloxone which stops an addict who's overdosed from dying and brings them back ... and mainly to speed up the process to get the full body scanner in place," said Jeff Yurek.
"The government promised over a year ago to place these scanners in the jail and they're saying sometime late in the fall or near the end of the year to have them in place but I think they should expedite that considering the amount of contraband that is in the jail."
Paramedics were called to the jail early in the morning and the inmate was pronounced dead, the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services said in an emailed statement.
The provincial coroner's office is investigating, as is routine when an inmate dies in a provincial facility.
"If the coroner's investigation determines that a death was not due to natural causes, a mandatory inquest would be called to examine the circumstances," the statement said.
Yurek doesn't want the province to wait for an inquest to take action. He notes this is the third death at the institution in as many months.
"I think it's time we need to step up the action from the government to ensure things are put in place to prevent these deaths, " he said.
Yurek said he hopes to meet with the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Marie-France Lalonde, Friday.
The other two recent deaths at the jail were Ray Major who died June 6 of suicide following drug withdrawal and Mike Fall who died July 30 of complications due to drug use.
"The situation is urgent and it's been urgent for a long time. Absolutely, things need to be changed," Egan said. "It's not just weapons that are getting in, it's drugs as well. It's upsetting to see the ministry dragging its feet," Egan said.