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Public inquest called into death of Mexican woman after she was detained at YVR

Jimenez had been taken to hospital the morning of Dec. 20, 2013, after she was discovered hanging in a shower stall at the Immigration Holding Centre at Vancouver International Airport. Global News

The BC Coroners Service has called a public inquest into the death of a Mexican national who died after she was detained at Vancouver International Airport.

Lucia Vega Jiménez was taken to hospital in Vancouver after she was found hanging in a shower stall in the “Immigration Holding Area” at YVR on December 20, 2013.

She was taken off life support on December 28.

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Josh Paterson, Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association, reacted to news of the inquest, which the association had been pushing for.

“Calling a coroner’s inquest is the right thing to do, but it will only answer some of the troubling questions about this tragedy. An inquest will be able to examine how and why Ms. Vega Jiménez died and whether her death could have been prevented. Why was she allowed to hang for three quarters of an hour before being discovered? What role did private security company Genesis play in this tragedy? Did she ask for mental health assistance and did she receive it? All these critical questions and more need to be addressed by the Coroner,” said Paterson in a statement.

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He says that unlike other law enforcement agencies in BC, there is no independent oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency’s operations.

The inquest can’t make any findings of fault, but can make recommendations. The inquest will begin September 29 in Burnaby.

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