REGINA -- The RCMP is now reviewing the Regina police department's investigation into the death of a 29-year-old who plunged 10 storeys down a hotel laundry chute.
Regina police spokeswoman Elizabeth Popowich says in an email that Chief Evan Bray made a public commitment to the family of Nadine Machiskinic that his department would welcome an independent review.
Popowich says there was no order for the Regina service to do more with the investigation, but she says Bray "felt strongly that if an independent review could give the family some comfort and help them move forward, he would help make it happen."
Machiskinic was found at the bottom of the chute at Regina's Delta Hotel in January 2015.
A fatality inquest jury found it could not determine the cause of her death.
Machiskinic's family, including her aunt Delores Stevenson, asked the province's justice minister to order a new investigation, but was turned down.
Machiskinic's family has questioned how she fit through the opening of the laundry chute, which was only 53 centimetres wide, and why it took police 60 hours to launch an investigation.
Toxicology expert Chris Keddy testified at the inquiry that because Machiskinic was a long-time drug user and had a high tolerance, she would have still been mobile and capable of climbing into the laundry chute on her own.
The inquest heard blood tests showed Machiskinic had alcohol and a mix of methadone and three other drugs in her system, as well as high levels of sleeping medication.
An empty bottle of prescription sleeping pills was found along with her body.
Bray has admitted mistakes were made in the investigation, but says he's confident in the police force's findings and doesn't believe they were biased.
"In an effort to help the family of Ms. Machiskinic find some peace, Chief Bray contacted the Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP to request a review," Popowich said Thursday. "The RCMP members assigned to the review will have access to all files and documents they need in order to review the RPS investigation."
