Guelph woman waited hours in court for son's hearing, only to learn he died after night in OPP custody

Faye Dzikewich waited in a Guelph, Ont., courtroom all day for her son's bail hearing before learning he had died four hours earlier.

Now, she's searching for answers.

Nathaniel Schofield, 36, went into medical distress while in custody at an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) facility in Rockwood. The case now involves theprovince's Special Investigations Unit (SIU)thecivilian law enforcement agencyinvestigates circumstances involving police that result in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault.

The SIU says a man, confirmed by Dzikewich to be her son, was arrested for assault the night of July 9 in Arthur and was first taken to be held in police cells in Teviotdale before he was moved to Rockwood.

"I called Rockwood two or three times the next day,"Dzikewichsaid.

"They assured me that he would be released on his own because it wasn't anything serious. They made me think that they were relaying stuff."

Dzikewich said she arrived at the Guelph courthouse on July 10 at around 10:30 a.m. ET. She started to feel worried as hours passed and her son still hadn't appeared.

"I asked the courtroom people,'Where is my son? Like, how come he's not up yet?' I was the only one in the courtroom waiting all morning," she said.

When court broke for lunch from noon until 2 p.m., she still couldn't get any information from Rockwood OPP.

At around 4 p.m., Dzikewichwas still sitting incourtwhen a call came in and was played over the speakers.

"They said that my son was in medical distress and had just been rushed to Guelph General Hospital," she said.

"The judge wished me well, gave me a nod and I ran out of that courtroom."

'Something had really gone wrong'

She said she only made it as far as the parking lot before SIU called, telling her to wait at the courthouse for their arrival.

"I knew to get a call like thatthat something had really gone wrong," said Dzikewich.

"I was screaming and panicking, and I asked, 'Is my son dead?'"

She remembers the call being cutshort, with someonetelling her they'd be there soon. But while Dzikewich waited, she got a call from Nathaniel's girlfriend.

"She was hysterical. She told me that my son was dead."

The SIU release saidfirst-aid was administered before Schofield was rushed to the Guelph hospital. He was pronounced dead at 11:20 a.m., five hours before his mother got the call.

But before Dzikewich could do anything else, she was told by SIU that they needed to interview her.

"I still don't understand why I was interviewed at that time, after just learning that my son passed," she said.

"I was in shock."

During the interview, Dzikewich said, a support worker from SIU calledto offer her help and ask if she wanted to see her son's body in the hospital.

"I said, 'Yes, absolutely, of course I do.'"

But she said she was immediately informed by SIU officials that she couldn't, and Nathaniel's bodyhad already been transferred to the coroner's office in Toronto.

"His body was classified as evidence."

An autopsy was conducted on Friday, but Dzikewich said little information has been shared withher.

"I don't have full results and I won't for months because of the investigation," she said. But she said she was told "'there were no diseases or anything like that, no sickness.'"

"There's definitely a lot of unanswered questions that I'm trying to find out and it's really hard with the SIU involved."

Nathaniel was a father ofsix children he loved to play lacrosse with them and teach them hunting and fishing skills, Dzikewich said, addinghe also was an avid skateboarder.

An online fundraiser has been set up by the family to help coverlawyer and funeral costs.

LISTEN|Guelph woman learns son died after night in OPP custody:

The Morning Edition - K-W12:20Guelph woman waited hours in court for son's hearing, only to learn he died after night in OPP custody

An investigation is underway after a man went into medical distress while in OPP custody earlier this month in Rockwood and died. His mother is now seeking answers about what exactly happened.Faye Dzikewichtells The Morning Edition's host Craig Norris about waiting all day for her son to attend his bail hearing before learning he had died.

SIU reviewing video footage

The SIU says three investigators and one forensic investigator have been assigned to the case.

In an emailed statement, SIU spokespersonKristy DenettetoldCBC News that investigators are currently reviewing video footage captured from inside the cells.

"The SIU has also designated one subject official, four witness officials and three civilian employees at this time," Denette added.

The SIU defines a subject official asan officialwhose conduct may have caused death, serious injury, firearm discharge or alleged sexual assault.

In an emailed statement, the OPP said it won't be speaking to this incident as it'sunder SIU investigation.