Inmate dies minutes after being locked King County Jail cell, 5th jail death this year

An inmate from the King County Correctional Facility died Tuesday, found unresponsive minutes after being locked in his cell, authorities say. 

According to a press release from the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, Seattle police booked the 63-year-old man into jail at 3:12 a.m. Tuesday morning. Minutes after being placed in a holding cell, corrections officers noticed he had become unresponsive.

Medical staff began treating him, and immediately took him to Harborview Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. 

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct a review to determine the cause and manner of death. 

This inmate death follows a similar incident that happened less than a month ago at the King County Correctional Facility, where a 53-year-old man was found dead in his jail cell. 

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Inmate found dead in cell, King County investigating

A 53-year-old man was found dead in his cell at the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle.

At this point, there is no evidence that these two inmate deaths are related. 

The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention will work with Public Health – Seattle and King County to conduct an internal investigation, which is standard protocol following a jail-related death. 

The King County Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention says the man is the fifth person to die this year while in custody at downtown Seattle jail, The Seattle Times reported.

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