A 68-year-old inmate at Cobb County Jail died in custody over the weekend, his life succumbing to terminal lung cancer at Kennestone Hospital, Sheriff Craig Owens confirmed. The unidentified man, who had no home to call his own, had been booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on charges related to violating the conditions of his status as a sex offender, according to East Cobb News.

In statements obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta, Sheriff Owens said, "All signs pointed to this individual being homeless with no access to medical care." The sheriff suggested that the inmate's arrest may have been a desperate attempt to find refuge and medical care, noting, "We believe he wanted to be arrested so he could live his remaining weeks in a more comfortable environment." During his time in custody, the man, who steadfastly refused to provide authorities with any contacts for his family, was consistently transported to Kennestone Hospital for treatment.

Owens also highlighted the broader issue of jails becoming makeshift healthcare providers. "I say often that jails across our metro and the state have become de facto hospitals and mental health facilities," said Owens, as reported by East Cobb News. He stressed the need to address the underlying societal issues, "We must collectively do more outside of the criminal justice system so that folks don’t intentionally go to jail to receive life or death medical treatment."

The inmate's death throws into sharp relief the intersection of homelessness, healthcare, and the criminal justice system. Sheriff Owens declared, due to the detainee’s sex offender status and to protect the public, he was kept in custody. The Sheriff's Office has yet to succeed in identifying his next of kin and therefore, has not released his name.