Inquest called into death of inmate who choked on food at women's jail

Manitoba's chief medical examiner has called an inquest into the death of aninmate who choked on food at theWomen's Correctional Centre in Headingleyearlier this year.

Amanda Lee Zygarliski,40, startedto choke while eating a mealbefore collapsing and becoming unresponsive on May 15, 2021, saysa news release from the office of Chief Medical ExaminerDr. John K. Younes.

Attempts to resuscitateZygarliski at the scene wereunsuccessful.

An autopsy confirmed the cause of deathto be choking and determined it to be accidental.

A fatality inquiry is called when the person who died was in police custody at the time, a resident in a custodial facility such as a nursing home, an involuntary resident in a facility under the Mental Health Act, or a resident in a development centre as defined in the Vulnerable Persons Living with a Mental Disability Act.

A inquest canalso be called ifthe chief medical examiner has reasonable grounds to believe the deceased died as a result of use of force by a police officer acting in the course of duty.

In this case, it was called to determine the circumstances surrounding Zygarliski's death and to learn how to prevent a similar occurrence in the future, the release says.

Information about when and where the inquest will take place will be determined by the chief judge of the provincial court of Manitoba and released at a later date.

Zygarliski, who was fromSelkirk,is the first person to die while in custody at the Headingleywomen's facility just west of Winnipeg, whichopened in 2012.