Inmate dies at Mecklenburg County jail; investigation underway

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating after an inmate at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center died Wednesday night.

According to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, jail staff found the 31-year-old woman unresponsive in a cell in the infirmary around 6:20 p.m. Wednesday. Staff began CPR and called 911.

The Charlotte Fire Department and MEDIC responded at 6:36 p.m., continuing CPR and using an automatic external defibrillator, authorities said. Those measures didn’t work, and the woman was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m.

According to the sheriff’s office, the woman was booked into the jail Sunday, Jan. 30. She made no phone calls and did not have any visits from attorneys, law enforcement said.

“Words cannot express the devastation of losing a resident so soon after the shooting involving one of our deputies and now the emotional trauma on staff. We are deeply saddened to report this death.” Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said.

In that statement, the sheriff was referencing the Feb. 19 shooting of Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Deputy Dijon Whyms in northeast Charlotte. Authorities have since arrested Aidan Bryant and charged him with attempted first-degree murder and other charges.

Related: Suspect booked into jail weeks after northeast Charlotte shootout that left deputy hospitalized

The inmate’s death also comes at a time when the jail is under intense scrutiny from the state.

Last month, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services released a report showing overcrowding and not enough staff, creating what inspectors called a “dangerous” environment.

Inspectors ordered the sheriff to come up with a plan to correct the problems within 30 days and implement those changes within 60 days. That would fall in mid-April.

Related: N.C. inspectors give Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office a deadline to fix deficient jail conditions

At this point, it is not known whether any of those issues factored into the inmate’s death.

The sheriff’s office is not releasing her name at this time because they haven’t been able to reach any family members.

The medical examiner will determine a cause of death and the SBI will take over this investigation.

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