Ryan Kereluck's mother Tina Vermette seen leaving Court of Queen's Bench on Monday. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Unanswered questions

“I would like to see a lot of changes made”: mother learns details of son’s death

Dec 2, 2019 | 5:18 PM

An emotional week lies ahead for Tina Vermette, as she will hear in detail the circumstances surrounding her son’s death in a police cell in May of last year.

Vermette is attending the public inquest at Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench into the death of Ryan Kereluk.The 34-year-old was found unresponsive in his cell at the Prince Albert Police Service on May 18, 2018 and later died in hospital. Outside the courthouse, Vermette told paNOW she hoped the inquest meant something.

“I would like to see a lot of changes made and I know they keep saying inquests are only for recommendations and stuff like that, and I don’t know, how many inquests do we need before something is actually done,” she said.

According to evidence heard on the first day of the inquest Monday, Kereluk had been in custody since the night of May 16. There had been a number of outstanding warrants for his arrest, and Kereluk had been picked up by police, following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in the city under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Kereluk was born in Prince Albert but had lived in Shellbrook for a lengthy period, and leaves behind a young daughter. When Vermette was asked by paNOW where her mind was heading into the inquest this week, she acknowledged she was emotional and wanted answers.

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“There are many in-cells deaths happening and still happening, and if I could be a part of some of those changes that would be great. At least my son would not be going down in vain,” she said.

Five days have been scheduled for the inquest, and a total of 20 witnesses were expected to testify including members of the Prince Albert Police Service and Parkland Ambulance.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell