SIU clears York Region police after man died following 'medical distress' in holding cell

Rochelle Raveendran · CBC News

· Posted: May 28, 2025 11:05 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

Ontario's constabulary watchdog says York Region constabulary officers are not astatine responsibility aft a antheral died successful February aft going into "medical distress" successful a Richmond Hill holding cell. 

The man, 33, turned himself successful astatine a constabulary station on an apprehension warrant for breach of probation around 3 p.m. connected Feb. 11, according to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) report, released Wednesday. 

Police searched the antheral and recovered a tiny container that was aboriginal suspected to incorporate crystal methamphetamine, arsenic good arsenic a ace pipe, the study said. 

Close to midnight, the antheral was seen connected video retrieving what appeared to beryllium "a quantity of drugs from wrong his underwear," the study says. He past formed achromatic lines of pulverization with the substance and snorted them. 

Around 1 a.m., constabulary contacted paramedics aft they noticed the antheral was shaking aft watching him connected a video monitor.

Officers attempted to talk to the man, who was incapable to pass different than to hold erstwhile asked if helium suffered from seizures. The antheral past soon mislaid captious signs. 

Police performed CPR and administered a dose of nasal narcan. Paramedics took the antheral to the hospital. He was pronounced dormant astir 1:50 a.m. 

The man's origin of decease is not yet known, the study said. 

Police rapidly provided aesculapian care, SIU manager says

In his decision, SIU Director Joseph Martino said the archetypal interest successful determining constabulary liability was knowing however the antheral was capable to bring and devour suspected drugs wrong the cell.

Martino said the constabulary searches conducted earlier the antheral went into the compartment "seem to person been conducted successful a thorough fashion." 

As the drugs look to person been successful the man's underwear, helium said it was not astonishing constabulary failed to find them. Officers did see conducting a portion search, but that was denied by a sergeant.

"Given the circumstances that prevailed – a detainee having turned himself successful seemingly bully wellness and unimpaired – I americium incapable to reasonably reason that a portion hunt was needfully warranted successful this case," Martino wrote. 

Another contented was whether constabulary sufficiently supervised the antheral erstwhile helium was successful custody. 

While constabulary did not routinely physically cheque the man, Martino wrote helium was checked via video show astir each 30 minutes portion successful the cell, "and that nary of those checks gave emergence for concern." 

Martino besides recovered officers detected the man's evident cause depletion "in reasonably abbreviated order" and rapidly provided aesculapian care. 

"There is nary ground for proceeding with transgression charges successful this case," helium wrote.