Date Published: 2025-05-06

Province: Nova Scotia

Police Agency: RCMP Digby

On February 10, 2025, at 3:18 pm RCMP officers responded to a call of an intoxicated person behind the mall in Digby, Nova Scotia. Upon arrival, officers located the Affected Party (the “AP”) laying in the snow. The AP was arrested for being intoxicated in a public place, was transported to the RCMP detachment and placed in cells. Officers decided to keep the AP in cells until he became sober or a family member was able to take him.

Police were unable to locate anyone to take the AP and he remained in cells overnight. During his stay in cells, the AP was displaying signs of intoxication, including being unsteady on his feet and vomiting. The AP was observed moving and breathing throughout the night. The following morning, the AP was using the toilet and hit his head on the wall. Shortly after, he became unresponsive and appeared to be in medical distress. Emergency Health Services (“EHS”) was contacted and attended the detachment. They provided immediate care to the AP and transported him to hospital for further medical intervention. The AP was pronounced deceased at the hospital later that morning. SiRT was contacted following the AP’s death. An autopsy determined the AP died of natural causes, being an upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by chronic ethanol use.

SiRT Concludes Investigation into Death (2025-05-06)

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