The police watchdog has concluded its investigation into whether Penticton RCMP officers’ actions or inactions contributed to a woman’s death in the summer.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of British Columbia was called in after an elderly woman died in her home on Burnaby Avenue.
Police were sent to the woman’s home at about 8 pm on July 30 after a call for assistance, the IIO’s initial report explained.
Bystanders had called the RCMP after becoming concerned for the elderly woman's welfare.
When officers arrived, they talked to the woman and then departed.
On July 31, at about 11 am, the woman was found dead in her home.
An autopsy found the woman died from natural causes.
The IIO’s chief civilian director has now reviewed the evidence, which included witness statements and health records, and determined that police played no role whatsoever in the woman’s death.
The IIO investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.
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