Dead woman in cell was thought to be sleeping, inquest hears

A logbook filled out by a part-time civilian guard working for the RCMP provided a detailed glimpse of prisoner movements on Sept. 1 and 2, 2017.

Based on what 69-year-old Larry Nerbas observed through monitors, the logbook detailed when Deanna Whitecap was taken for an interview with a police officer, when she was returned to her cell and when she went to lie down on the cell’s mattress. Nerbas even wrote down when Whitecap changed sleeping positions or whether she was covered up by her blanket.

But despite all the checks, one significant thing went unseen. Nerbas didn’t notice when Whitecap died.

The 46-year-old woman’s death is the subject of a coroner’s inquest being held in Regina this week. A six-person jury is being asked to decide on questions such as how, when and where Whitecap died. They also have the option of providing recommendations to help prevent similar deaths.

The inquest heard Whitecap was arrested by RCMP on Sept. 1, 2017 for driving offences, then transported to the Indian Head detachment.

There, she was placed in a cell and, while RCMP members attended to other calls, she was monitored by Nerbas. He recalled her being upset after a noon-hour police interview on Sept. 2, but over much of the next few hours, he observed her moving around her cell as normal or lying down.

“I just assumed she was sleeping,” he said.

He said the weight of the blankets make it difficult to tell if a person is breathing, but he said the guard room was just feet from Whitecap’s cell and that he didn’t see or hear any sounds of distress.

He only became aware something was wrong when, after 4 p.m. on Sept. 2, File Hills First Nations Police Service Const. Larry Bigknife — asked by RCMP to release Whitecap from custody — entered the cell.

Bigknife said he opened the cell door and saw Whitecap lying on the mattress and facing partly toward the wall. At first glance, he said he thought the woman was sleeping.

“I called out her name,” he said. “There was no answer.”

Forensic pathologist Dr. Andreea Nistor told the jury the cause of death wasn’t clear, even following an autopsy.

Nerbas became emotional as he addressed Whitecap’s family, expressing his sorrow.

He told the inquest he is still impacted by the death.

“It still bothers me ...,” he said. “It just shook me real bad.”

The jury is expected to deliberate Wednesday.