News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Woman’s Fatal Fall in Toronto
Case Number: 25-TCD-013
Other News Releases Related to Case 25-TCD-013
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the death of a 44-year-old woman after a fall from an apartment balcony. As officers were on scene communicating with her at the time, the SIU investigated.
On January 13, 2025, officers were at the apartment on High Park Avenue seeking to execute warrants for the woman’s arrest in relation to multiple break and enters.
Director Joseph Martino found that the officer had no reason to suspect that the woman was in mental health distress or suicidal, and no reason to believe that she would take the drastic action she did. The officer also had no opportunity to intervene to prevent the woman’s fall. Not more than several seconds elapsed from the moment the woman indicated she would jump until she was up and over the balcony railing.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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