Nearly six months after the in-custody death of a 58-year-old White Rock woman, investigation into whether police action or inaction contributed continues.
Aidan Buckley, a spokesperson with the Independent Investigations Office, confirmed last week that there is still little to share publicly regarding Patricia Ann Wilson’s death.
“At this point, our investigation is ongoing,” Buckley told Peace Arch News by email.
Wilson was found unresponsive on the morning of March 29, less than four hours after she had been assessed by paramedics. Attempts to revive her were unsuccessful.
Mounties said at the time that Wilson had been arrested on March 25 on an outstanding warrant, and was being held for a March 29 appearance in Surrey Provincial Court.
Staff Sgt. Lesli Roseberry said Wilson’s death was the second to occur at her detachment; the first was in 1998.
Following Wilson’s death, the IIO initially deployed seven investigators.
“Since then, investigators have been interviewing civilian witnesses, designating and interviewing subject and witness officers, examining evidence from the scene and reviewing video from White Rock RCMP cells,” Buckley told PAN.
Buckley said that if no connection between police and the death is identified, the IIO will release jurisdiction; if it’s determined that an officer may have committed an offence, then the Chief Civilian Director of the IIO will refer the case to Crown.
If it’s determined that no officer committed any offence, then a public report will be released on the IIO’s website, www.iiobc.ca, providing an in-depth look at the case and explaining the director’s rationale for not referring the case to Crown.