Lack of beds caused delay for Sask. woman who died in jail awaiting psychiatric care

Warning: This article contains details that some readers may find troubling.

In the second day of an inquest into the death of a woman who died in a Saskatchewan jail, council heard she was supposed to be at a psychiatric hospital, but there weren’t enough beds.

Elaine Behm, 50, was found dead in her cell at Pine Grove Correctional Centre on Oct. 1, 2020. A coroners' service inquest into her death is underway in Prince Albert this week.

The Lloydminster woman was accused of second degree murder in the death of her husband Darren Behm, 51, in August of 2020. She was on remand at Pine Grove Correctional Centre, but a provincial court judge ordered she be transferred to the Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford for a psychiatric assessment, the inquest heard. A majority of the witnesses testified they did not know Elaine was on a waitlist for the psychiatric hospital.

Three weeks after the court order, Elaine used elastic bands from clothing and hung herself from a vent in her cell, a correctional officer (CO) testified. The inquest heard staff cut the ligature and made life saving attempts, but were unsuccessful.

One paramedic testified Elaine had no signs of life when EMS arrived, and they pronounced her dead shortly after.

Another CO told the inquest the vents have been changed since her death to prevent similar incidents.

On Wednesday morning the inquest will hear from a staff member at the psychiatric hospital where Behm was waiting to go for a mental health assessment before she died.