News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Injury Suffered by Woman While Lodged in Toronto Cell
Case Number: 25-TCI-197
In the evening of May 14, 2025, a 25-year-old woman was being detained in cells at TPS 51 Division in Toronto after having been arrested for possessing a dangerous weapon and assaulting a peace officer. The woman, who suffered with mental illness, behaved erratically with police from the moment of her arrest through her period in custody. When the woman showed unwillingness to re-enter her cell after speaking to counsel, an officer pushed her into the cell. As the officer backed out of the cell and, with the assistance of a special constable, went to close the cell door, the woman had rushed forward to keep it open, her finger catching between the door and the door jam in the process. She screamed in pain. The woman was transported to hospital and diagnosed with a fractured finger. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the woman’s injury.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES