Mom says daughter died in remand in Regina due to no medical care

(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

REGINA – A Manitoba woman says her daughter didn’t get proper medical care before she died in a cell at the White Birch Remand Centre in Regina.

Sheri Chartrand says her 21-year-old daughter, Breanna Kannick, called her from the remand centre two days before her death.

Kannick was waiting for a bail hearing on drug-related charges before she died on Aug. 20.

Chartrand said she told her daughter she would bail her out if she would come home to The Pas, Man.

She says Kannick was suffering from withdrawal from drugs, but while in jail she hadn’t seen a nurse or had a medical assessment.

Saskatchewan Justice spokesman Drew Wilby said the department is investigating.

Wilby said jail staff are supposed to talk to the inmate when they first come in to get a history, including questions about drug use. He said a medical assessment is to be done as soon as possible.

The White Birch facility has trained nurses on staff and co-ordinates with doctors at the health region to offer prescriptions when needed, Wilby added.

Chartrand says she heard her daughter was vomiting and kicking the door trying to get help before she died.

“I said just hang on, it’s only a couple more days and I’ll get you out and you can come home,” Chartrand said. “She said OK and said ‘I love you mommy’ and I said ‘I love you and I’ll see you Thursday.’”

On Aug. 20, she got a call from her mother in Winnipeg telling her that Breanna had died.

Chartrand says the probation officer didn’t know Kannick was dead when she called, but eventually she got through to someone who told her it was true.

“I’m angry, very angry and I’m upset and I can’t sleep because that’s all I can see is my little girl kicking on the door for help, and nobody helped her,” she said.