ASIRT investigating RCMP arrest of woman in Lloydminster which led to death of newborn

Alberta’s police watchdog — the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team — is investigating events surrounding a woman who was in police custody in Lloydminster, which led to the death of a baby.

ASIRT says around 6:25 p.m. on May 9, RCMP in Kitscoty, Alberta — roughly 20 kilometres west of Lloydminster — took a woman into custody on outstanding warrants.

On May 10, the woman was ordered to stay in custody following a release hiring.

Reports indicate that after the hiring concluded, an altercation occurred between the woman and an RCMP officer.

A couple of days later on May 12, the RCMP provided the woman with medication prescribed by Alberta’s Virtual Opioid Dependency Program, at three different times of the afternoon and evening, with the last one being at 9:59 p.m.

ASIRT says it was a couple of hours later, at 12:40 a.m. on May 13, that a guard then found the woman in medical distress, and she appeared to be having a seizure.

Paramedics attended and took her to a hospital.

While at the hospital, it was learned that the woman was pregnant, and an emergency C-section was conducted, however, the baby died a few hours later.

ASIRT says their “investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident including the circumstances surrounding the woman’s arrest and her time in custody.”