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 the province's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) — the civilian law enforcement agency investigates 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," Dzikewich said.

"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., Dzikewich was still sitting in court when 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 that that something had really gone wrong," said Dzikewich.

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

She remembers the call being cut short, with someone telling 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."

Schofield, 36, was observed to be in medical distress before first-aid was administered and was later pronounced dead at Guelph General Hospital. (GoFundMe)

The SIU release said first-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 called to 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 body had 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 with her.

"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 of six children — he loved to play lacrosse with them and teach them hunting and fishing skills, Dzikewich said, adding he also was an avid skateboarder.

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

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

SIU reviewing video footage

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

In an emailed statement, SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette told CBC 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 as an official whose 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's under SIU investigation.