A FAMILY continues to search for answers and justice one year after their brother became seriously ill in police custody.
Leroy ‘Junior’ Medford died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital on April 2, several hours after he was arrested and taken to Loddon Valley Police Station.
The 43-year-old and father-of-seven collapsed in his cell and his family held another vigil in the town centre on Tuesday to celebrate his birthday and mark his passing.
As part of an investigation by the police watchdog, three officers and two other members of staff were quizzed and the findings of the review have been handed over to the Berkshire Coroner’s Office.
His older sister, Marilyn Medford-Hawkins, said: "We are still searching for answers and we cannot give answers to people until we go through this process.
"We miss him terribly. We were always a close family and his death has really taken the joy out of our lives, so we are trying hard to get it back.
"It is important to keep him in the forefront of our minds and to remind people that we have not forgotten about him.
"Nothing has changed about the way I feel. Nobody should have to face losing a family member in police custody.
"This has put a strain on the family and as the big sister I can feel the enormity of being responsible for keeping our family together."
Medford, who died hours before his 44th birthday, was arrested on suspicion of assault and possession with intent to supply drugs, but a post-mortem came back with inconclusive results.
A spokesman for the Independent Officer for Police Conduct added: “Officers became concerned about the man’s welfare and he was taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital.
“He was later discharged by the hospital and returned to custody at Loddon Valley that evening. At around 4am Sunday he was found unresponsive in his cell.
“He was given medical assistance by custody staff and then paramedics and was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 5am.”
The early stages of the coroner’s investigation will begin on Friday with a pre-inquest review at Reading Town Hall.
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