Correctional officers assigned to the Maguire Correctional Center discovered a dead inmate in his cell after he failed to respond to calls from authorities. This is the second body found in just a few days inside the facility.
On Saturday, October 21, at approximately 9:18 p.m., correctional officers found a 34-year-old white male alone in his cell and unresponsive. He was discovered as part of hourly checks staff conduct to ensure the well-being and safety of incarcerated individuals.
Once discovered, prison officials immediately began life-saving measures by administering CPR until medical personnel, who are located inside the facility, arrived, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Unfortunately, the individual was pronounced deceased at the Maguire Correctional Facility by the Redwood City Fire and EMS Department, authorities said.
Detectives of the San Mateo County Sheriff, the District Attorney's Office, and the Coroner's Office were notified and responded to the scene.
In this regard, it was reported that the three agencies are carrying out independent investigations to determine the cause of death.
While initial information so far suggests the cause of death was suicide, the final decision will be made by the Coroner's Office once it has completed its examination and investigation.
It was explained that, out of respect for the privacy of his family, the name of the deceased will not be revealed until notifications have been completed.
However, the report detailed that the incarcerated person was housed in the Behavioral Health Unit, which offers educational programs, extended out-of-cell time and evidence-based clinical programs to treat serious mental illnesses.
“Residents who were previously unable to successfully function in a group setting are given increased opportunities to socialize, integrate, and receive clinical and programmatic support. Correctional Health Services and the Sheriff’s Office also work closely with San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and community partners to design comprehensive release plans for each BHU participant.”
In this regard, the authorities asked for understanding that these investigations are exhaustive and take time to be carried out correctly and that, once the investigation is completed, they will be completely transparent and will publish any additional information through press releases and social media.
“The death of anyone in our care impacts our entire organization as we take great pride in caring for our communities. Our employees who responded and provided life-saving measures are receiving peer support resources as incidents like this have a profound impact on the mental well-being of our employees.”
You may be interested in: Inmate found dead in his cell inside the Maguire Correctional Center
