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Jun 14, 2021 9:32 PM -
An inquest begins next week to examine the death in police custody of an 18 year old Indigenous woman just hours after she was airlifted to hospital from RCMP cells in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island.
Jocelyn George died in June 2016 and a report by the Independent Investigations Office cleared RCMP of wrongdoing, finding her death was due to inflammation of the lining around her heart following toxic drug use.
The mother of two young children was held in custody because she seemed intoxicated and, at one point, appeared well enough to be released, but deteriorated after being picked up again.
An inquest must be held because George collapsed in custody, but the examination of her death, which was set for last year, had to be postponed until this month because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
