Woman in police custody goes into medical distress, doctors find 'unknown substance' hidden in her body

A woman in Saskatoon police custody was taken to hospital Wednesday aftershe became verbally unresponsive and was deemed to be in medical distress.

Saskatoon Police's major crime section is now investigating the incident.

Police officers had arrested the 31-year-old woman around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday morning on a charge of possession forthe purpose of trafficking methamphetamine, according to a police news release Thursday.

• Saskatoon police to have paramedics in detention cells 24/7

Police say upon arrival at the detention areashe was assessed by emergency medical technicians, as required by police policy, before she was taken to a cell.

Regular checks by EMTs, commissionaires and police officers followed over the next four hours.

'Unknown substance'

At around 7:30 a.m., the woman was found in a verbally unresponsive state and was transported to hospital in medical distress.

Police say hospital staff found a "unknownsubstance" hidden inside the woman's body. Analysis of the substance is underway.

The woman is in stable condition.