Coroner hears police did not help prisoner having cocaine seizure

In a 2022 inquest, a coroner criticized police behavior following the death of Hugo Diaz Knox after a cocaine seizure in custody. Judge Joan Baptie found no action from the police could have prevented his death but recommended an investigation into the officer's behavior. The 25-year-old was arrested after testing positive for cocaine and was found to have ingested two bags of the drug while in police custody.

While in custody, Knox suffered a seizure, and a police officer watched him for 20 seconds without taking any action, which Judge Baptie found extremely concerning. Despite this, she found that police inaction could not be held responsible for his death. Judge Baptie recommended reviewing the charge room and custody management of prisoners, as well as updating police policies to ensure medical assistance is sought when any harmful substance is suspected to have been consumed.

The inquest heard that Knox had likely snorted cocaine while in his cell, and the amount of cocaine in his blood at the time of his death was 35 mg/L, which is considered a fatal dose for some individuals.