An 82-year-old man in custody at the San Diego Central Jail was pronounced dead yesterday morning, following an immediate but unsuccessful resuscitation effort by deputies and medical staff. According to a statement released by the San Diego Sheriff's Office, the unidentified man, under Sheriff's custody since May 27th, was found unresponsive during a routine medication distribution.
Distributing medication at around 8:40 a.m., a facility nurse and Sheriff's Deputies discovered the inmate unresponsive in his cell. Verified by the same statement, medical staff and deputies began CPR before the San Diego Fire Department and paramedics continued lifesaving measures upon their arrival. Despite their concentrated efforts, the man was declared deceased in the facility approximately 30 minutes later, at about 9:10 a.m.
The man had been detained on charges that included mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon, and elder abuse, and had been pending a court hearing concerning his mental competency. While his identity is withheld as family notification is pending, the Sheriff's Office conveyed condolences, with "the San Diego Sheriff's Office extends our sympathies to the decedent's family and all those affected by his passing," and assured the provision of a Family Liaison Officer to assist the family during this time.
In line with standard protocol for in-custody deaths, the Sheriff's Homicide Unit is leading a detailed investigation into the incident to look at all aspects of the case thoroughly, the statement added. Awaiting medical examination, the cause and manner of the death will be determined by the Medical Examiner's Office, while the Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) has also been notified of the death.
