An investigation is underway following the death of an inmate from the Southwest Detention Centre.
According to a statement from the Ministry of the Solicitor General, paramedics transported an inmate to hospital on December 7 — the inmate then passed away in hospital on December 18.
The statement goes on to say the ministry will be looking into the care and custody of the deceased to determine if all policies and procedures were followed while the Office of the Chief Coroner will be investigating the cause of death.
These investigations are required any time there's a death in a provincial correctional facility.
If the coroner determines the death was not natural causes then an inquest would be called.
The jail is currently under a COVID-19 outbreak with 24 cases but the ministry says it cannot confirm if the inmate died as a result of COVID-19 as it's an open investigation.