Inmate found dead in Rowan jail; second inmate death in 5 weeks
Published: Feb. 14, 2014 at 7:55 PM EST
SALISBURY - The Rowan County Detention Center reports that an inmate, Vernon Mitchell Hall, a 62, of 110 Hall St., Cleveland, NC, was found unresponsive on the bunk, in his single cell, at about 11:30 am Friday morning.
According to a press release sent to WBTV, Vernon Hall was admitted from the court one week ago, where he was sentenced by the judge to serve a 28 day sentence for DWI.
Hall ate breakfast Friday morning and made no complaints of any medical issues, according to the report.
Sometime after finishing breakfast, Hall laid down on his bunk, where he was later found to be unresponsive.
Detention Center personnel made an attempt to revive Inmate Hall until Rowan EMS arrived to take over life saving efforts that were eventually unsuccessful.
The North Carolina Medical Examiners Office will conduct an autopsy on the body to determine cause of death.
There were no signs of trauma to the body, and no signs of any type of foul play found. Sheriff’s Office personnel, accompanied by the departmental Chaplain, have notified the next of kin.
This is the second inmate to pass away in the jail in the last five weeks.
On January 10, Timothy Barber, 51, was found dead in his cell. Investigators determined that Barber had died of natural causes.