Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has discontinued its investigation into an injury reported by a 33-year-old woman in Cobourg, concluding there is no evidence of police wrongdoing.
The SIU says officers with the Cobourg Police Service were dispatched to a residence on September 15, 2025, after the woman contacted police and disclosed she had engaged in self-harm. Upon arrival, officers located the woman with a laceration to her neck and apprehended her under the Mental Health Act. She was transported to hospital for evaluation and released the following day.
On September 22, the woman attended the police station and reported that she had suffered a fractured arm during the apprehension, alleging the injury occurred while being restrained by police. The SIU launched an investigation to determine whether officers were criminally responsible.
In a statement issued January 19, the SIU says its preliminary inquiries included a review of video footage and medical records. Deputy Director Stacey O’Brien determined that no male officers were involved in the apprehension, hospital personnel, not police, secured the woman to the hospital bed, and medical records showed the fracture occurred prior to the day of the police interaction.
Based on those findings, the SIU concluded there was no potential criminal liability on the part of any police officer and closed the file without charges.
The SIU is an independent civilian agency that investigates incidents involving police and other officials that may result in serious injury, death, sexual assault, or the discharge of a firearm.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
