Eight RCMP members, three Commissionaires guards and the Government of Canada are being sued by the daughter of the late Raymond Silverfox.

Deanna Charlie claims, in a statement filed in Yukon Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon, that her father's death on Dec. 2, 2008 was the result of the officers' and guards' "intentionally negligent, grossly negligent, deliberate indifferent, reckless and bad faith conduct.”

The 43-year-old Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation man had been arrested early that Tuesday morning, after staff at the Salvation Army called the ambulance to pick him up because he kept throwing up and the staff didn't feel they could take care of him.

He told the paramedics he didn't want to go to Whitehorse General Hospital, so they called the police to take him to the so-called "drunk tank.”

"Silverfox died after being unattended for approximately thirteen and a half hours in detention in inhumane conditions,” according to Charlie's statement of claim.

At a coroner's inquest held last month, the public learned Silverfox vomited 26 times during his time in RCMP custody.

He was left to lie on the floor of a filthy cell, in soiled clothes, and wasn't given any medical attention until an officer noticed he wasn't moving.

According to expert witness testimony from pathologist Dr. Charles Lee, Silverfox died in his cell, although he was not officially pronounced dead until after he was taken to hospital.

"Silverfox was left unattended in the cell despite the fact that he was violently ill throughout the time of detention and medical assistance was neither considered nor obtained in a timely fashion by the RCMP members and guards,” Charlie's statement reads.

"Silverfox's death would have been prevented with timely medical intervention.”

According to Lee, Silverfox died of a fast-acting blood infection, which began in his lungs and was likely caused by inhaling vomit. The doctor said the infection likely developed in a matter of hours.

"The RCMP members and guards made jokes, mocked and verbally abused Silverfox in a grossly shocking and disrespectful manner while he was detained in an uninhabitable cell and in inhumane conditions,” Charlie claims.

Audio surveillance taken from the cell block recorded officers remarking on the condition of Silverfox's cell, laughing, and complaining about having to clean up after the man.

"The RCMP members and guards had a duty of care to Silverfox while he was in detention and breached that duty of care through intentionally negligent, grossly negligent, deliberate indifferent, reckless and bad faith conduct,” the claim reads.

"The defendant owed a duty of care to Silverfox to keep him safe and protect his well-being in detention, but they breached that duty of care.”

Charlie has named eight officers: Daniel Bulford and Len Vanmark, the constables who arrested Silverfox and did not take a blood-alcohol reading, as per RCMP policy; Dennis Connelly and Jeffery Kalles, the provost officers working in the cell block; Geoff Corbett, Heather Kaytor and Shirley Telep, three officers who came through the cells that day and commented on Silverfox's condition; and Calista MacLeod, the watch commander.

Also named are the three Commissionaires guards posted at the cells that day: Hector and Craig McLellan and Heather Balfour.

Charlie's lawyer, Susan Roothman, said other members of the family will soon be filing similar Yukon Supreme Court claims.