Inmate death toll at EMDC climbs to 14 after weekend fatality

Another inmate at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre has died, prompting families who've lost loved ones to expand the number of memorial of crosses outside the jail.

It is the 14th death inside the troubled London facility in the past ten years.

"The ministry can confirm that a male inmate at the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre was found in medical distress yesterday," said Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services Andrew Morrisonin an email.

"An ambulance was called and the inmate was quickly transported to hospital. The inmate was pronounced deceased at the hospital," Morrison wrote.

While the cause of Sunday'sfatality is still under investigation by the coroner, multiple inmates have died of drug overdose.

Others have died by suicide or alleged untreated illness. One inmate, Adam Kargus, was beaten to death by a fellow prisoner in 2013.

• EMDC memorial 'doesn't solve issues' at the jail: inmate families

Familieshave recently being paying tribute to lost ones by erecting a personalized cross along the fence outside the jail.

"I was hoping my brother would be the last," said Lynn Pigeau, whose brother James died of an apparent overdosein 2018.

"We're going to be putting cross number 14 up at the jail and if the government doesn't make change, we'll have to start a production line."

Pigeau and other families have been holding weekly protests at EMDC. They'readvocating for changes to security and improved mental health and addiction services.

Many of the affected families are involved in a certified class-action lawsuit against the province for its role in running EMDC.

London police confirmed it'sassisting the coroner with theinvestigation. The ministry said it's conductingan internal investigation to determine whether all policies and procedures were followed.

Inmates remembered:

• Laura Straughan died in 2009
• Randy Drysdale died in 2009
• Adam Kargus died in 2013
• Keith Patterson died in 2014
• Jamie High died in 2014
• Floyd Deleary died in 2015
• Justin Thompson died in 2016
• Raymond G. Major died in 2017
• Mike Fall died in 2017
• Murray Davis died in 2017
• Ron Jenkins died in 2017
• Justin Struthers died in 2017
• James Pigeau died in 2018
• Unknown died March 31, 2019