THE Police Ombudsman is to assess the case of a 39-year-old Newry woman who died while waiting for an ambulance crew to arrive.
The PSNI last night said it had reported Jody Keenan's death to Marie Anderson as officers were with her shortly before she died.
It comes as family and friends will today gather at her funeral to say their final farewells to the popular classroom assistant.
Ms Keenan, who had worked at St Paul’s High School in Bessbrook for 10 years, died in the early hours of Sunday after collapsing in the Trevor Hill area of Newry.
The ambulance service received an emergency call at approximately 3.15am but the only two available crews in the Southern division area were at Craigavon hospital handing over patients.
Instead, an ambulance was sent from Belfast, 38 miles away. A second ambulance was then sent from Banbridge.
PSNI officers with a defibrillator were first to arrive on the scene at 3.52am but Ms Keenan died despite attempts to resuscitate her, including by her mother who attempted to give her CPR.
Newry, Mourne and Down PSNI district commander Superintendent Norman Haslett said: "The Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (OPONI) has been advised about this incident and are currently assessing the matter, given police were with Jody shortly before her death.
"We are currently assisting OPONI with their assessment and our thoughts remain firmly at this time with Jody’s family, friends, colleagues and all those affected by this tragic incident.
"Whilst the Police Ombudsman conducts her assessment no further comment will be made."
It is not yet known whether an investigation will follow. Ms Keenan's death is not being treated as suspicious.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) has said a serious incident review will be carried out.
Jarlath Burns, principal at St Paul’s High School, told The Irish News that Jody was "a wonderful, most kindest, beautiful person that you could ever meet".
"She was a child centred person, who went way beyond the call of duty," she said.
"She spent most of her life wanting to work with children and she had a real understanding of where children were coming from, of their complex needs.
"Jody was always committed to wanting to make a difference to children who had experienced barriers to learning."
Mr Burns said pupils and staff, particularly the "close-knit group of classroom assistants in the school", were devastated by her death.
"She went way beyond the call of duty, she was loved by staff, parents and pupils alike," he said.
"Even when Jody was in hospital getting the tumour removed from her spine, she was staying on contact with her pupils - she was the most committed, most beautiful person you could have met."
Mr Burns said staff and pupils will form a guard of honour at her Requiem Mass today, which is due to take place in The Church of the Assumption, Drumalane at noon, followed by burial in Cloghogue cemetery.
She is survived by her parents Seamus and Ursula and siblings Darren, Keith and Jamie and family circle.
