RCMP apologizes for holding suspect naked

Police in Labrador have apologized to a woman who was held naked in a lockup for two days last winter, and have disciplined an officer for mistreating her.

An internal RCMP report has found that police did not follow procedure in a case involving Carol Ikkusek, 26, who was kept naked in a small lockup cell that had no mattress.

Ikkusek, a resident of Nain on Labrador's northern coast, was brought into custody in Happy Valley-Goose Bay last February, and was waiting for a court appearance on charges of assaulting a police officer.

An internal RCMP report said Ikkusek threatened to use her clothing to harm herself.

Cpl. Edwina Tuttle intervened, taking Ikkusek to hospital for a medical assessment. A doctor there recommended that Ikkusek be admitted.

However, the hospital's secure room was not available, so Tuttle took Ikkusek back to the lockup.

Ikkusek was stripped and left to sleep on a steel bench with no blanket. Ikkusek was given a blanket after 16 hours, but she remained naked for another day and a half.

The RCMP's internal review found Tuttle did not do enough to reassess the status of the prisoner.

Details of Ikkusek's treatment surfaced last winter during a sentencing hearing.

Insp. Greg Bursey made an apology on Tuesday to Ikkusek, on behalf of the force's Labrador district.

"I'm sorry she felt that she was mistreated in any way or put through any undue hardship, but certainly there was no intent," Bursey said.

"I'm satisfied that within reason that it shouldn't happen again."

Tuttle was disciplined for not following procedure. She still works with the RCMP in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Meanwhile, Boyd Rowe, chief executive officer of the regional health authority, says there's a need for more secure medical holding areas

"More and more, we are utilizing that particular secure room, and it has led us to give some thought to designating another space within the facility," Rowe said.

Nobody with the Ikkusek family could be reached to comment on the police report.