An inmate named Matthew Hines, 33 years old died while in custody at the Dorchester Penitentiary. In less than 2 hours he died after he was peppered sprayed by correctional officers at least four times at the close range. All the while Hines was restrained and handcuffed.
Unforeseen tragedy
Ambulance New Brunswick reviewed the incident on how their two paramedics handled a call to treat the inmate. The paramedics appeared on a video after Hines refused to return to his cell at the Dorchester Penitentiary. Some correctional officers handcuffed, restrained and pepper sprayed on the inmate at least 4 times at the close range. After the inmate was pepper sprayed, the correctional officers of Dorchester placed him under a shower to wash off the pepper.
Both his arms are still handcuffed behind his back and a cloth was placed over his face. Hines begins showing signs of having difficulty in breathing and had a seizure. Some officers provided him with CPR and others called the ambulance after the inmate went into medical distress. The paramedics arrived 21 minutes later. This time of arrival falls under the 22-minute response time for rural communities.
Hines was already on a stretcher when the paramedics arrived in the health-care wing of the prison. The man was struggling with his breathing. According to the employed nurse of the prison, the inmate had been pepper sprayed and a possibility of acid overdose and had a seizure. The paramedics transferred Hines into the ambulance. In the video, the paramedics did not provide any first aid or any medical treatment on Hines.
One of the two paramedics, Mark Wayne Hicks, testified at the preliminary inquiry. According to Hicks, they were originally sent to the prison that night for an assault call and then it was changed to a possibility of a drug overdose. He told the court that during the trip going to the hospital, with 2 correctional officers, he inserted a breathing tube because he was lying on his side and he has difficulties with breathing.
The condition of Hines deteriorated. With the help of the correctional officers, they moved Hines on his back. In a few minutes, Hines stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating. Hicks and his companion immediately provided CPR on Hines for at least 20 minutes and were not revived. He was declared dead at the hospital.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a first aid course and for more information, check out these sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation
https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/cardiopulmonary-resuscitation-cpr-treatment
https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600