British Columbia’s police watchdog has cleared Port Alberni RCMP of any wrongdoing after an 18-year-old woman died while in custody in June 2016.
The Independent Investigations Office said Jocelyn George died from the effects of meth and cocaine on her heart.
The mother of two toddlers was initially taken into custody at around 7 a.m. for being intoxicated in a public place, and showed no signs of medical distress while in custody. She was released that afternoon but then re-arrested that evening
In the morning she was found barely responsive and was sent to Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital by air ambulance and died from heart failure at 7:20 p.m. on June 24.
The IIO report said there was no action or inaction by the officer in charge or any other officer that caused George’s death, and there are no grounds to consider any charges.