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Inmate Dies in LaPlata County Jail

Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 12:00 AM

Due to the inmate not listing any next of kin, the Sheriff’s Office and Coroner are having  difficulty in locating and notifying family members. The Sheriff’s Office will only say he is a 67 year old white male.          The man took part in roll call Sunday morning and was given his breakfast tray.  He was not ready to turn in his tray during collection. When Deputies returned about 10 minutes later to get his tray, they looked inside and saw the man was unresponsive. They immediately began life saving efforts. When Paramedics arrived, they continued life saving efforts. The man was transp

From the LaPlata Co. Sheriff's office:

La Plata County Sheriff’s Office asked Durango Police Department to assist in an investigation of the death of a La Plata County Sheriff’s Office Detentions inmate on Sunday.

The inmate who was serving a court ordered sentence had been in the jail for about 11 months.

Due to the inmate not listing any next of kin, the Sheriff’s Office and Coroner are having  difficulty in locating and notifying family members. The Sheriff’s Office will only say he is a 67 year old white male.         

The La Plata County Coroner’s Office has scheduled an autopsy to be performed Tuesday. When  toxicology results are done a cause of death will determined.  The man was locked, alone, in a  single cell at the time of the incident.  No foul play is suspected.

The man took part in roll call Sunday morning and was given his breakfast tray.  He was not ready to turn in his tray during collection. When Deputies returned about 10 minutes later to get his tray, they looked inside and saw the man was unresponsive. They immediately began life saving efforts. When Paramedics arrived, they continued life saving efforts. The man was transported to Mercy Hospital in Durango where he died. 

Following standard protocols, the Sheriff’s Office is conducting an internal investigation in addition to the independent investigation by Durango Police Department. 

The man’s identity will be released once family is notified.

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