UPDATE Jan. 29: New details are starting to emerge about her death, but many questions remain.
Coverage from Jan. 28:
The identity of the woman who died while in the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency has been released by the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA).
Mexican woman Lucia Vega Jiménez, 42, died while in custody on Dec. 28, 2013.
The Canadian Border Services Agency has issued the following statement:
On December 20, 2013, first responders were called to the B.C. Immigration Holding Centre at the Vancouver International Airport and a short term detainee was sent to hospital.
The next of kin were notified of the individual’s medical condition. Sadly the individual passed away on December 28, 2013.
The health and safety of those in our care is of paramount concern. We take this responsibility very seriously and it is important to determine the circumstances surrounding any loss of life.
The Richmond RCMP were initially called in to investigate this matter and it has since been found to be not criminal in nature. The CBSA continues to cooperate with the B.C. Coroners Service, as their investigation is ongoing.
The CBSA is not in a position to release further information while the B.C. Coroners Service investigation is ongoing.
Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, issued the following statement on Jiménez’s death: “We have been made aware of the tragic event that took place at the B.C. Immigration Holding Centre. The Minister expects the CBSA to fully cooperate with the Coroners Service of British Columbia.”
Josh Paterson, the executive director of the BCCLA, said “nobody should die while they are in the custody of law enforcement. The Canada Border Services Agency must be accountable for this tragic death of a woman who was in their care and custody. The public needs answers. How did this happen? Could this tragedy have been prevented?”
Barb McLintock with the Coroners Service of British Columbia said Jiménez, who is not a Canadian citizen, was being held in a holding cell at YVR on Dec. 20 when she went into medical distress. McLintock did not say why the woman was moved to a holding cell at the airport.
Jiménez was rushed to Mount St. Joseph hospital but died a week later.
At this time, no other details have been provided about her death.
“We’re not going to speculate about the cause or classification of death at this point, while our investigation is still in such early stages,” said McClintock.
“We are considering this an in-custody death because she was not free to leave detention at that point, she was definitely detained so as such that does put a little extra onus to us to make sure that we do an incredibly thorough investigation,” added McClintock.
Paterson said there has to be an investigation into what happened.
“Unlike other law enforcement agencies in B.C., there is no independent oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency’s operations,” he said. “We understand that the RCMP is investigating, but when deaths happen in the custody of law enforcement, we need to have an independent, civilian investigation of what happened in order for the public to have confidence in the results. As several commissions of inquiry in BC have reported, police-on-police investigation is not appropriate.”
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