Latest news with #NathanielSchofield
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Guelph mother launches complaint against police after son's in-custody death
A Guelph, Ont., mother whose son who died while in OPP custody last year has launched a complaint with Ontario's Law Enforcement Complaints Agency and says she needs more answers about the circumstances of his death. Nathaniel Schofield, 36, died after being held at the Rockwood OPP detachment July 9 to July 10, 2024. He was pronounced dead at Guelph General Hospital at 11:20 a.m. on July 10, 2024. A report from the province's Special Investigations Unit says Schofield died of a drug overdose and ruled there was "no basis for proceeding with criminal charges" against officers. But Schofield's mother, Faye Dzikewich, says she's watched the video of her son in the Rockwood cell and she alleges in her complaint that errors were made in how his medical emergency was handled. "I want justice for my son. He should not have died," Dzikewich told CBC News. Schofield's death made headlines because Dzikewich waited in a Guelph courtroom for several hours for her son's appearance on July 10. On June 12, Dzikewich filed a formal complaint with the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA) — an independent civilian oversight agency that handles all public complaints against the police. In her complaint, Dzikewich questions how Schofield died of an overdose 14 hours after he had been taken into custody. She also questioned why he was put in the recovery position in his cell. "As a health-care worker myself, I know that you never put anyone in a recovery position if they are not breathing," she writes in her complaint. The SIU's report said Schofield "appeared sweaty, cold and pale" around 4 a.m. "Asked if he needed medical assistance, the complainant answered in the negative and explained he was experiencing withdrawal," the SIU report said. He vomited at least twice before a "strange sound" was heard in his cell at 10:15 a.m. and he could be heard gasping for air, the SIU report said. "A defibrillator was retrieved but was not used on the advice of the paramedic call centre as one of the officers believed he had felt a pulse. Two doses of nasal Narcan were administered," the report says. Dzikewich alleges in her complaint that there was poor communication with paramedics and emergency dispatch, improper medical care, unnecessary delays in medical treatment, and a lack of communication with herself and Guelph courthouse officials. The LECA website shows Dzikewich's complaint has been received and will be reviewed. Dzikewich said she was told complaints are usually processed within two months. In a statement to CBC News, LECA confirmed the director has "received public complaints arising from the incident referenced" but "due to the confidentiality provision in the Community Safety and Policing Act, the director cannot provide any further details." CBC News reached out to Wellington OPP for comment on Dzikewich's complaint but have not yet received a response. WATCH | :
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Mother whose son died in OPP custody files new formal complaint
The mother of a man who died in OPP custody has filed a new formal complaint. CTV's Hannah Schmidt explains why. A Guelph, Ont. mother whose son died while in Ontario Provincial Police custody has filed a formal complaint with Ontario's Law Enforcement Complaint Agency (LECA), claiming there's more to the story surrounding his sudden death. 'I'm still a mess over everything and trying to make sense of all the unfairness, all the disruption,' said Faye Dzikewich. 'I want his children to be looked after. I want justice for my son.' Nathaniel Schofield was arrested in connection to an alleged domestic violence incident on July 9, 2024. The 36-year-old was taken into custody at the OPP detachment in Rockwood. According to a report released by the Special Investigations Unit in March, Schofield became very ill overnight and, by 10:24 a.m. the following morning, he had no vital signs. An autopsy determined he overdosed on fentanyl and methamphetamines, with cocaine also found in his system. To this day, Dzikewich does not believe those drugs caused his death. 'He had nothing on him upon arrest, like no drugs. We said this right from the beginning: an overdose made no sense,' said Dzikewich. Two doses of Narcan were administered but a defibrillator was not used, according to the report. The SIU ruled officers acted within policy, but Dzikewich argues that was not the case. 'It wasn't until the third call that the dispatcher came right out and asked the OPP, 'Is he breathing? Is he conscious?' And that's when [police] said no. [Dispatch asked] 'Have you done CPR?' and they didn't,' she explained. Formal complaint filed Dzikewich filed a complaint on June 12 with LECA after she watched a video of her son's last moments with SIU investigators last month. She claims officers who were monitoring him at the time were 'neglectful' and 'discreditable,' according to her complaint. 'They were reporting he was having seizures and they put him on his side and treated him as such. I'm watching the video going: what seizures? There's no seizures,' said Dzikewich. 'The CPR, the mandatory training that they are taught was never ever practiced. This could have saved Nathaniel's life.' Some of the allegations she made in her complaint include: Insufficient monitoring while in police custody Mishandling of a health emergency Delay in medical care Poor communication with family and the court A malfunctioning panic button at the station 'This was life-saving time that they wasted,' said Dzikewich. 'Minutes matter in a crisis like this.' Unlike the SIU, which only investigates possible criminal conduct involving police, LECA looks at broader issues like police policies, misconduct, neglect of duty and can conduct systemic reviews. It can also recommend disciplinary measures like reprimands, suspensions or the dismissal of an officer. CTV News reached out to the agency for confirmation of the complaint. An emailed statement to CTV News from Const. Matthew Burton, a spokesperson for the OPP Wellington County Detachment, read: 'It would be inappropriate for us to comment as the matter is currently before the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency.' Spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police Association, Scott Mills, wrote in an email the 'association fully supports our members involved who acted lawfully in accordance with their training and policy and procedure.' Dzikewich says she didn't file the complaint just to get accountability, but also get to the bottom of what happened in her son's cell nearly a year ago, and to also finally get some peace. 'There's so much I've learned through this and maybe that's what I'm supposed to be doing,' she said. 'Once I am stronger and healed, I want to help other people.'
CBC
31-03-2025
- CBC
Man's death in Rockwood OPP detachment due to drug overdose, SIU clears officers
The death of 36-year-old Nathaniel Schofield at the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment in Rockwood in July 2024 was due to a drug overdose and there is no reason to charge police officers in the case, the director of the province's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says. In a report released Monday morning, SIU director Joseph Martino wrote that "there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case" as he believed the evidence showed the officers monitored Schofield while he was in custody, checked on him regularly and attempted to help him when he collapsed. "There are no reasonable grounds to believe that the [sergeant at the detachment] committed a criminal offence," Martino wrote. The report said Schofield was arrested on the evening of July 9, 2024 at his home in Arthur after a domestic disturbance. He was initially taken to Teviotdale where he was held in a cell. "Asked about any consumption of drugs, the complainant [Schofield] indicated he had taken fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. It was decided that [Schofield] would be transferred to the OPP Rockwood detachment as there was a prisoner there already under supervision," the SIU report says. While at Rockwood, officers observed Schofield. He initially slept, but around 4 a.m., he "appeared sweaty, cold and pale." "Asked if needed medical assistance, the complainant answered in the negative and explained he was experiencing withdrawal," the SIU report said. He began to vomit at 7:20 a.m. Although he told an officer he was feeling better he still had the chills and cold sweats. He vomited again at 8 a.m. and was moved to a new cell. "He walked on his own power during the transfer," the SIU report said. An employee at the detachment continued to check on Schofield regularly. "When asked, he told her he was fine," the report said. At 10:15 a.m., a "strange sound" was heard in Schofield's cell and someone could be heard "gasping for breath." An employee called for an officer to help and when the officer entered the cell, Schofield fell from the bench onto the floor. "A defibrillator was retrieved but was not used on the advice of the paramedic call centre as one of the officers believed he had felt a pulse. Two doses of nasal Narcan were administered," the report says. Paramedics arrived at 10:25 a.m. and it was found Schofield did not have any vital signs and could not been resuscitated. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead at 11:20 a.m. on July 10, 2024. The report says the autopsy concluded Schofield's death was attributable to "fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, methyl/isobutyryl-fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine toxicity." Mother waited in court Schofield's death made headlines because his mother, Faye Dzikewich, waited in a Guelph courtroom for several hours for her son's appearance on July 10. "I called Rockwood two or three times the next day," Dzikewich told CBC News in July of that year. "They assured me that he would be released on his own because it wasn't anything serious. They made me think that they were relaying stuff." At around 4 p.m., Dzikewich was still sitting in court when a call came in and was played over the speakers. "They said that my son was in medical distress and had just been rushed to Guelph General Hospital," she said. "The judge wished me well, gave me a nod and I ran out of that courtroom." In November, Dzikewich joined a rally in Toronto outside the office of Ontario's chief coroner to call for coroner's inquests to be held in a more timely manner. She said families should not have to go through long wait times not knowing what happened to their loved ones. Families call on Ontario coroner to speed up inquests 5 months ago Duration 2:31 Families of loved ones who've died in police custody or at the hands of the police rallied outside the office of Ontario's Chief Coroner in Toronto on Monday. Faye Dzikewich of Guelph is the mother of 36-year-old Nathaniel Schofield. He died in a Rockwood holding cell in July while in OPP custody. The SIU has yet to make a determination in his case. Cliff Eaton Nembhard is the father of 31-year-old Nicholas Nembhard, who died after being shot by Waterloo regional police in February. CBC reporter Ali Chiasson spoke to the families about the need for these inquests.
