Mom pushes for investigation into how Sask. jails handle inmates with addictions

A Manitoba mother wants an investigation into how inmates suffering from drug withdrawals are handled in Saskatchewan jails after the death of another woman in custody.

Sherri Chartrand's 21-year-old daughter Breanna Kannick was found dead in her cell at the White Birch Remand Centre in Regina in August of 2015. Kannick was going through withdrawal from a cocaine and heroin addiction at the time.

Chartrand said she was shocked to learn another inmate died recently under similar circumstances. A 27-year-old woman was rushed to hospital from jail in Prince Albert, Sask., last week. Her family told local media she was going through heroin withdrawal at the time.

• Mom wants answers on why daughter died in Regina remand centre

• Woman inmate dies at Regina remand centre

"I thought, 'Oh my god, it happened again,'" Chartrand said. "It sounds to me, basically, that if you're a drug addict and you walk in there, they just shuffle you aside and put you in a cell and there you go, you sit there until your court date."

Chartrand said she wants a review conducted on how inmates with addictions are treated in Saskatchewan facilities to help prevent similar deaths behind bars.

"I don't want this to happen again to another family," she said. "I want this looked into, so when there is an addict walking into a facility like that, they do have the proper medical attention before they put them in a cell."

A Saskatchewan government spokesperson said the standard procedure is to have a nurse complete a medical assessment on inmates within 24 hours of their arrival. He would not confirm whether or not that happened in the most recent case.