Prince Albert-
The father of Ronalda Wescoup says he’s pleased with the jury’s recommendations made following a coroner’s Inquest into his daughter’s death.
“I hope all twelve of them go through, everyone,” said Ron Bruce, at the conclusion of the inquest in Prince Albert and says more attention needs to be paid to people going through alcohol or drug withdrawal.
Wescoup, 40, was found unresponsive in a medical observation cell at the women’s jail near Prince Albert, June 4, 2019 less than four hours after arriving at Pine Grove Correctional Center.
She was arrested the day before in Saskatoon for stealing alcohol and charged with theft under $5,000. She pleaded guilty in provincial court in Saskatoon and was sent to Pine Grove — the only women’s jail in the province.
“She must have needed detox in Saskatoon holding cells before they brought her here. They should have assessed her right away,” said Bruce.
He says Wescoup began drinking after the death of her sister Marsha two years earlier as her death caused her a lot of emotional pain, and that led up to the events at Pine Grove.
He says his daughter might have lived if she could have gotten the proper care and medications instead of being left alone in a cell.
“She definitely should have gone to the hospital but no one sent her anywhere,” Bruce said.
Over the course of the two-day inquest, the two-man, four-woman jury heard testimony and questioned nine witnesses including a medical doctor, forensic pathologist, guards and nurses who were on duty at the time of her death.
They concluded that Wescoup died from cardiac arrest due to alcohol-related issues and made 12 recommendations to help prevent similar deaths.
The recommendations include locating an emergency intercom button should be within arms’ reach of beds, and the introduction of bracelets to allow medical staff to monitor an inmate’s heartbeat, temperature and any sounds.
The jury also recommended hiring two additional nurses at the jail, increasing the duration of doctors’ visits to the facility and having an addictions worker present for intake and medical exams.
A dedicated detox center is also needed at the jail, the jury said, as well as an improved database shared between police, hospitals and correctional facilities to help identify inmates suffering from withdrawal.
Bruce hopes Pine Grove management and province implement the recommendations in the near future.
“They just can’t have an inquest for the public eye to be satisfied with something has to be really done there.”
He says Ronalda better known as Rhonda. She was a member of the Long Plain First Nation in Manitoba and the mother of four children who lived in Saskatoon.
“She was kind hearted and always willing to help people out,” said Bruce. “It will bring closure for me but I don’t know about my grandkids who talk about her often.”