Christopher Luis Delarosa was examined before being admitted into the Travis County Jail in Austin, Texas, on the morning of July 26, 2021, and he was denied admittance due to his oxygen level. After going to a hospital, he was released the same day and booked into the jail that afternoon. Fewer than 16 hours later, he was pronounced dead, presumably due to natural causes.

Continuing from the first part of this series, training of jailers for the purpose of recognizing signs that an inmate may be suicidal is required by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). The following are examples of warning signs that an inmate may be suicidal.

Signs an Inmate is Potentially Suicidal

The following are examples of high-alert warning signs to watch for beyond intake screening that an inmate may be at risk of suicide:

• An inmate may be pushed over the emotional edge as a result of the threat or occurrence of rape.
• Being placed in isolation or segregation can trigger suicidal activity.
• Approximately 33% of jail suicides happen when the time for court hearings is near. Of those, 69% occur within two days of the hearing, both before and after.
• Bad news from friends and family during visits or phone calls is a trigger for suicide among inmates. More than 20% of jail suicides occur in close proximity to a visit or telephone call, and of those suicides, 67% occur less than 24 hours after the visit or call.

See Part 1 and this continuing series.

The posts on this website are intended as helpful resources for county jail prisoners in Texas. There is no intent to infer misdeeds on the part of persons or institutions.

–Guest Contributor