Sacramento County Jail inmate dies after he’s found semiconscious alone in cell
Authorities are investigating the death of a 67-year-old man who died over the weekend while in custody at the Sacramento County Jail after suffering an apparent medical emergency, sheriff’s officials said.
The inmate died after he was found Saturday night semiconscious on the floor of his jail cell which he occupied alone, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday in a news release.
The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office will release his name after his family has been notified.
The man who died had been in sheriff’s custody since July 13 after he was booked on charges of domestic violence and being a wanted fugitive, sheriff’s officials said. The Sheriff’s Office notified the Texas Parole Board after his death.
The inmate used a wheelchair and was housed on the medical floor at the downtown Sacramento jail due to “ongoing medical issues related to long-term illicit drug use,” according to the news release.
After finding the inmate semiconscious, deputies provided aid until medics from the Sacramento Fire Department arrived and took him by ambulance to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Investigators reviewed security camera video at the jail for several hours leading up to his death, which showed “no nefarious activity,” sheriff’s officials said. Authorities found no visible injuries or signs of trauma, and no foul play is suspected.
Sheriff’s officials said COVID-19 is not a suspected factor in his death, since the inmate was vaccinated and had previously tested negative for coronavirus multiple times, including a test on July 19.
Sheriff’s homicide detectives and crime scene investigators were advised as part of protocol following an inmate’s death, and the Sheriff’s Office will complete an inmate death investigation in accordance with department procedure and state laws.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office also was notified of the inmate’s death, and the Coroner’s Office will perform an autopsy to determine the man’s cause of death and submit its findings.
This story was originally published July 26, 2022 at 1:22 PM.
