Woman, 27, choked to death at Clarenville women's prison, police believe

A 27-year-old woman died following what police say was a choking incident in her cell at the province's Correctional Centre for Women in Clarenvilleon Friday afternoon.

"It's not suspicious, it appears as though it may simply be that she choked on her lunch," said RCMPStaff-Sgt. Larry Turner.

"And a piece of her lunch got caught and closed over her windpipe, and she wasn't able to get oxygen."

The Department of Justice and Public Safety confirmed an inmate died at Dr. G.B. Memorial Hospitalin Clarenvilleat approximately 3:30 a.m. Saturday, after staff responded to "an emergency situation" involvinganinmatethe day before.

Clarenville RCMP were called 3:30 p.m. Friday to investigate, andTurner told CBC News it appears the woman died in a "very unfortunate accident."

Turner said the inmate was alone in her cell when Correctional Officers found her unconscious and began administering first aid.

• Inmate dies in Clarenville women's prison, RCMP investigating

"They tried CPR at the institution until the ambulance arrived, and she was put on a ventilator as soon as she arrived at the hospital, but she wasn't able to make it," said Turner.

The RCMPofficer said police do not believe any foul play was involved, and are waiting for the results of an autopsy by the Chief Medical Examiner's Office to confirm the woman's cause of death.

Turner said six people,including a forensic identification specialist,were involved in the RCMP investigation at the facility and hospital into early Saturday morning.

"We're treating it as a sudden death investigation under the Provincial Fatalities Investigation Act."

The woman's identity has not been made public.