On January 20, 2010, at about 9:30am, RCMP members of the Portage la Prairie Detachment responded to a call to assist local EMS at a Portage la Prairie residence on a medical emergency.
On arrival, members found EMS performing Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation to a 47-year-old female in the residence. EMS was able to get a pulse from the victim and she was immediately transported to the Portage General Hospital.
Subsequent investigation into the incident led members to believe that the victim had been assaulted by her husband. On January 20, 2010, the husband was arrested at the Portage la Prairie Detachment without incident.
The victim remains in critical condition at the Portage General Hospital.
54-year-old Kenneth Edward McDougall of Portage la Prairie has been charged with attempted murder. McDougall has been remanded into custody and will be appearing in Portage la Prairie court on Monday, January 25, 2010.
Update 01/24/10 5:55pm
On January 23, 2010, at approximately 7pm, the 47-year-old victim succumbed to her injuries while in the hospital. The charge of attempted murder against 54-year-old Kenneth Edward McDougall has now been upgraded to first degree murder.
Update 01/27/10 12:47pm
The victim has been identified as 47-year-old Justina McDougall of Portage la Prairie. On January 26, 2010 an autopsy was conducted at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg and the cause of death as been attributed to asphyxiation.
Sgt. Line Karpish
RCMP Media Relations
(204) 983-8497
