Tragedy has again struck the Bexar County Jail with the death of an inmate, marking the second fatality within the facility in just 30 days. FOX San Antonio reports a 62-year-old inmate was declared dead at 2 p.m. yesterday. Details regarding the individual's identity, cause of death, and circumstances of detention have not been disclosed.
This incident follows closely on the heels of another in-custody death at the same jail. News 4 San Antonio reports that 46-year-old Michael Rosas, detained on charges of possessing a controlled substance and evading arrest, was found unresponsive during a routine check and later pronounced dead, allegedly due to a medical episode.
The Texas Rangers have begun to investigate the more recent death, as mandated by the Sandra Bland Act—a piece of legislation that calls for a higher level of scrutiny when an inmate dies in custody. Likewise, an internal administrative investigation is being conducted by the Bexar County Sheriff's Department's Internal Affairs and Public Integrity Unit, and the Texas Commission of Jail Standards has been informed.
In the case of Michael Rosas, it appears from the preliminary assessment that he "suffered a medical episode while in detention," according to a statement by the Sheriff's Office, though a final determination on the cause of death will be made by the Medical Examiner's Office. The death is being scrutinized not only by the Texas Rangers but also by the Bexar County Precinct 2 Constables Office, according to News 4 San Antonio.
