A Young County Jail Inmate in Texas Dies Days After a Suicide Attempt

In any given week, reports about inmate deaths demonstrate the importance of suicide prevention measures. On Monday of this week, days after a suicide attempt, a 27-year-old inmate of a Texas county jail died. The Texas Rangers are investigating the death. The young man was housed in a multiple occupancy jail cell that more than 20 men shared, and he was discovered hanging in the restroom area on Sunday, May 28.

Earlier that day, the man’s family reported that he had made threats of self-harm. The family requested frequent checks on him. At the warden’s request, a correctional officer conducted a face-to-face check on the young inmate and returned 15 minutes later. It was at that time they found that he had used something that was within the cell to hang himself.

The warden said the man had been authorized to have what inmates are allowed to have when they aren’t on suicide watch, such as a uniform, linens, and commissary. He further said they weren’t aware he had mental health issues until his family called and they would have done more to assist the inmate if he had requested help.

When the inmate was cut down from where he was hanging, cardiopulmonary resuscitation began to be performed. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel were called to the scene, and they continued lifesaving measures. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on June 3.

The surveillance cameras in the area where the inmate hung himself weren’t in operation on May 28, but they were scheduled to be fixed.

Learn more in this continuing series.

Providing help to inmates now or formerly detained in a Texas municipal or county jail is one of the purposes of this website. There is never an intention of implying that misdeeds have occurred on the part of individuals or institutions.

–Guest Contributor