Former inmate says changes required within the correctional system to prevent future deaths

Tatiana Custer, 23, passed away last month, and the second woman, who has not been named, died earlier this month. The causes have not been publicly released by the Coroner’s office, however, the Elizabeth Fry Society, which works closely with the women at the institution, has stated they were drug-related.

Eagle claimed one of the more concerning practices that occurs she’s observed during intake, is when someone going withdrawals, is first required to go through security and strip-searched.

“You could be in the deepest distress and they just look at you,” she said. “By that happening it’s causing a lot of deaths and that causes a lot of impact on us in there.”

Noting a personal conversation she had with one of the nurses, Eagle said they too acknowledged they should have responded faster. Eagle claims another barrier to inmate safety is the systematic racism that exists.

“I have to say this bluntly. The caucasian people get treated with more respect, they get more urgent care, and if there’s something wrong with them they get rushed down to the hospital,” she explained.

When Eagles’s case was discussed this week at Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench, all her charges were stayed, however she will be on probation for 18 months.

Returning home to be with her family at Ochapowace Nation, Eagle admitted it’s frustrating to think she was locked up for two years with no conviction. During that time she held several hunger strikes to bring attention to what she referred to as the mistreatment of the inmates.

“I was thinking maybe I had to go through what I had to go through as an indigenous woman. Maybe they were crying and praying for somebody to speak”, she said, noting at least one woman who thanked her.

Now that she’s out, Eagle plans to continue being a strong advocate for women in jail.

“I’ve seen how they treat us. I’m not gonna stop speaking up for them. I’m gonna make sure their voices are heard and I’m gonna make sure they are treated with respect,” she said.

The investigations into the two deaths are still ongoing.

Section 20 of The Coroners Act, states the chief coroner shall hold an inquest into the death of a person who dies while an inmate at a jail or a correctional facility unless the coroner is satisfied that the person’s death was due entirely to natural causes and was not preventable.

The purpose of the inquest is not to lay blame, but rather determine what steps, if any, can be taken to prevent similar deaths from happening in the future.

In June 2019, Ronalda Wescoup was found unresponsive in her cell at Pine Grove and passed away in hospital just over an hour later. Her death was later connected to alcohol withdrawals.

The inquest was held in April 2022 and the jury made twelve recommendations including ensuring the emergency intercom button is within arm’s reach of the inmate’s bed; hiring more nurses; and having an addictions worker present during intake or medical exams.

It’s not clear how many of these recommendations have been implemented.

The following statement was provided by the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety:

All inmates admitted to a correctional centre undergo an initial intake and health assessment.
Inmates are screened for substance abuse and dependence, including types of substance use, last use, amount, frequency, duration and previous withdrawal.
Protocols are in place that outline observation standards for health care purposes. Nurses can assign the required level of observation based on the needs of individual inmates when required. If an inmate refuses health care, it is documented and the required level of observation is assigned based on the needs of the inmate as outlined in the Observation Policy

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

Former inmate says changes required within the correctional system to prevent future deaths

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