PRISON DEATH UNDER REVIEW

B.C. Corrections is investigating the death of an inmate at a Maple
Ridge men's prison.

Ridge Meadows RCMP were called to the Fraser Regional Correctional
Centre Oct. 19 around 7 p.m. after a 32-year-old man passed away from
a suspected drug overdose.

B.C. Coroner Vincent Stancato said a full autopsy has been conducted
on the man, but final results of toxicology tests are still pending.

A cause of death will not be determined until those results are
received.

B.C. Corrections is also conducting an internal review into
circumstances surrounding the man's death.

It is the second death at prison in the past two years.

Chilliwack resident Kyle Wigham died of a heroin overdose at FRCC in
2008.

Following his death, the B.C. Coroner's Service recommend the Maple
Ridge prison revise visual inspections of prisoners to include
observations of breathing, as well as re-train and test employees to
make sure they are aware of standard operating procedures regarding
visual cell inspections.

Visual inspections were revised at the prison, but the recommendation
that staff monitor breathing patterns raised security concerns.

"Compliance would require staff to enter each cell numerous times
throughout the night," said Marnie Mayhew, with B.C.
Corrections.

"Inmates would inevitably be awakened, putting both staff and inmates
at risk."

Mayhew added that inmates are given a health-care assessment, which
includes a mental health screening, within 24 hours of admission.

"If the health-care assessment suggests that more frequent monitoring
is warranted, then it is done."