By SDCN Staff
Santee, CA–A 31-year-old woman in the custody of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department died at a local hospital after being found unresponsive in her cell at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility, authorities reported.
The incident occurred on May 12 at approximately 7:25 p.m., when Sheriff’s sergeants conducting routine checks discovered the woman unresponsive. They immediately called 9-1-1, alerted the facility’s medical staff, and began CPR.
Emergency personnel from American Medical Response and the Santee Fire Department arrived shortly afterward and took over life-saving efforts. Medical personnel transported the woman to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead at about 8:15 p.m.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the woman had been in custody since May 11 and was facing multiple theft-related charges, including vehicle theft and resisting arrest.
Her identity is being withheld pending notification of her family. A Sheriff’s Family Liaison Officer has been assigned to assist the family during this time. “We extend our condolences to the decedent’s family and those impacted by her passing,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board has been notified, and, following standard procedure, the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit is conducting a full investigation.
The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause and manner of death.
