NDP Leader Gerry Rogers says the Liberal government’s response to the death of 28-year-old Samantha Piercey doesn’t go far enough, and she is calling for a mental-health assessment of every prison inmate in the province.
Piercey died on Saturday while being held in the Clarenville Correctional Centre. Her death is under investigation.
It comes not long after the April 21 death of Skye Martin, 27, who was an inmate at the same facility. Martin’s death was reported as the result of choking on her food, but also remains under investigation.
Both events followed an Aug. 31, 2017 death of a man being held at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary in St. John’s.
Justice Minister Andrew Parsons has announced Ret. Supt. Marlene Jesso has been asked to conduct an independent investigation into all three cases, covering whether or not the policies and procedures affecting the inmates were appropriate, as well as staff responses.
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Rogers wants a commitment to more.
“I think an investigation into the three deaths that have been identified is probably a good thing. However, that’s not going to look at the systemic issue in our correction facilities. As well, it’s not going to deal with the immediate need,” Rogers said Monday outside of the House of Assembly. “Right now, this points to the absolute immediate need for proper (response to) mental health issues, proper mental health services that are so desperately needed in our correction facilities.”
Rogers was fierce in linking the cases to mental health, and accused the province of “warehousing people” in need of treatment.
She highlighted the fact the families of the two women who died in Clarenville are not getting responses to questions about how their children were held, and the circumstances around their deaths.
Parsons said he has visited with the staff and inmates in Clarenville.
“This is not something we see very often and the fact that we’ve had, especially in this case, two (deaths) in one facility which doesn’t have a huge population count, as of yesterday it was 22 individuals, I think that everybody wants to know what happened. Especially the families of the deceased,” he said.
Parsons said he would like to see more information communicated to the families as soon as possible, but would also not compromise any of the investigations.
“I’m always willing to speak to someone. But I know what they’re going to ask, and right now I don’t have all the answers,” he said.
With files from The Packet
