News Release
SIU Terminates Clayton Death Investigation
Case Number: 18-POD-331
Other News Releases Related to Case 18-POD-331
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the death of a woman earlier this month in Clayton.
On November 11, 2018, an 87-year-old woman was present at a Remembrance Day ceremony being held at the Clayton Community Centre. Around noon, the woman went into medical distress and several individuals administered first aid while awaiting paramedics. An Ontario Provincial Police officer was also in attendance, and he administered naloxone to the woman when he became aware that she was on medication. The woman was transported to hospital where she was pronounced dead. The cause of death was ruled as cardiac arrest.
Director Loparco said, “The evidence is clear that the woman’s death was due to a medical cause and had nothing to do with the administration of naloxone. As such, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations