B.C. woman accused of manslaughter in escort service druggings remanded into custody

The exterior of a provincial courthouse in Surrey, B.C., is seen.

Following a court appearance Thursday, a B.C. woman facing more than 20 charges – including manslaughter – in connection with alleged druggings of men who used escort services was remanded into custody.

Jessica Kane was ordered to be detained due to "new allegations of breaching bail conditions," the B.C. Prosecution Service said in an email. She is next due in court on April 12, when the court will hear an application from Crown counsel to revoke her bail.

Police first released information about the investigation into Kane in October of 2022. At that time, the RCMP said they had been looking into multiple reports of men being drugged and robbed in Surrey, Vancouver, Burnaby and Langley – including one case in which a man died.

Kane was charged with manslaughter in connection to the man's death, as well as 20 other offences, and released.

In February of this year, the Surrey RCMP announced that Kane had been charged with additional offences, including obstruction of justice, failing to comply with a release order, and administering a stupefying or overpowering drug or substance.

Mounties did not say when these alleged offences occurred, only that the charges were approved in January of 2023 and that Kane was released from custody.

The conditions of her release included house arrest, except for two hours on Friday afternoons "for the purpose of obtaining necessities," according to authorities. She was also prohibited from engaging in sex work.