No foul play suspected in death at Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre

Police say foul play is not suspected following the death of another inmate at London’s provincial jail.

Police confirm they were called to the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC) on Saturday to help investigate the death of an inmate.

Const. Sandasha Bough says police are assisting the coroner but no details were provided about the victim.

Saturday’s death is the latest in a string of deaths and injuries among inmates at the jail.

Most recently, an inmate was pronounced dead at the jail in mid-August. While police provided few details, the incident prompted a response from Progressive Conservative MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London Jeff Yurek, who is calling on the government to expedite the delivery of a body scanner and allow correctional officers to carry the drug naloxone, which counteracts the effects of opioids like fentanyl and oxycodone.

In mid-October, one of the men accused in the death of Raymond Beaver was transferred out of EMDC after appearing in court via video with two black eyes.

Earlier that same month, 32-year-old Anthony George was sentenced for the beating death of his cellmate, Adam Kargus. The 29-year-old Sarnia man was just two weeks into his sentence when he was beaten to death in his cell on Oct. 31, 2013.

Six inmates have filed a lawsuit against the province in the wake of the beating death, claiming they’re suffering lasting psychological trauma after being forced to witness a murder while locked in their cells.

A joint coroner’s inquest into the deaths of inmates was announced in August. Floyd Deleary, 39, died Aug. 23, 2015 while Justin Thompson, 27, died Oct. 31, 2016. Both died in hospital after being transferred from EMDC but few other details have been released.

Earlier that month, another inquest was launched in connection with the death of Jamie High on the morning of Dec. 23, 2014. High, a London-area realtor, died at London Health Sciences Centre’s Victoria campus after being transferred there from EMDC, the Ministry said in a media release, adding an inquest is mandatory under the Coroners Act.