James McDonald's obituary picture. (Arbor Memorial)

By Nigel Maxwell

Corrections investigations

Man who died while on remand has family connections to northeast Sask.

Jul 17, 2024 | 4:00 PM

As the investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a man’s death while he was on remand, more information has come to light about who he was.

paNOW has been able to confirm James Robert Steven McDonald was the man who passed away on July 9 at a Saskatoon hospital. The 49-year-old had previously been arrested by Prince Albert Police on July 3 and appeared in court the following day, only to be remanded to a later date.

On July 5, roughly 14 hours after being sent to the provincial correctional centre, McDonald went into medical distress and was transported to Victoria Hospital, before being transferred to Saskatoon.

His charges at the time of his arrest were related to criminal code warrants and were stayed on July 8 so he was no longer considered in custody at the time of his passing. Crown prosecutor Alex Boucher informed paNOW their office received information of a medical nature.

McDonald’s funeral was held on Tuesday in Sandy Bay. He leaves behind a son and a daughter.

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The autopsy, which deemed the death suspicious, was completed on July 12.

Both the Saskatchewan Coroner’s Office and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating, and an external policing partner has been engaged to ensure impartiality.

“As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to share details into the death. We will provide updates on the investigation if and when we are able,” a spokesperson for the RCMP replied on Wednesday, when contacted by paNOW.

In a separate statement, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, confirmed they are fully cooperating with the Coroners Service and RCMP investigations.

“Our primary concern in all correctional facilities is the safety of inmates, staff, the public and the facility itself. When a situation like this occurs, the Ministry conducts an internal investigation to see if we can prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future,” they said.

While the Ministry also stated they will not be releasing any further details on this death as ongoing investigations are currently underway, they offered their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell