THUNDER BAY -- An inquest into the death of 23-year-old woman from an apparent suicide while inside a police vehicle continues Wednesday.
The inquest into the death of Lena Anderson, who died on February 1, 2013 at the Kasabonika Nursing Station following a transfer from a police vehicle after an incident, began Tuesday at the Ontario Government Building on Red River Road.
Counsel to the Coroner David Allan said the inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Anderson’s death.
Anderson was taken into custody after an altercation between a security officer who had entered her house following reports from concerned community leaders regarding Anderson's level of intoxication.
Anderson was left alone inside a police vehicle for about 16 minutes as Const. Jeremy Swanson left to alert another NAPS officer who was off duty at the time.
“In the short time Lena was left unsupervised, she was able to free one of her hands from the handcuffs, removed the draw string from her track pants and hung herself,” Allan told the jury.
The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Anderson’s death, and is expected to last up to four days with about 13 witnesses.
During the first day of the coroner’s inquest into Anderson’s death, jurors heard testimonies from both her mother, Mary Ann Shewaybick, and her brother, Aaron Anderson.
The inquest will continue Wednesday morning with testimony from Const. Jeremy Swanson who made the arrest and transferred Anderson.
