At 8:45 a.m., jail and medical staff were conducting routine medical evaluations in the 4 East Housing Detox Unit.
According to the Sheriff's Office, a nurse noticed that a 23-year-old man was having difficulty breathing. Life-saving measures were taken and first responders were called in from the Redwood City Fire Department, but the man died.
The Coroner's Office, Sheriff Investigations Bureau and the District Attorney's Office all responded to the scene. All three agencies have opened investigations into the man's cause of death, according to the Sheriff's Office. The Coroner's Office will make the final determination once they have completed their investigation.
The Detox Unit of the jail began receiving enhanced medical care last year "to address the increase in the number of people arrested for a crime while under the influence of illegal narcotics," according to a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office. The unit often houses people who are experiencing withdrawal symptoms from alcohol or drugs. The jail says it evaluates these inmates every 15 to 30 minutes with "constant" medication and medical evaluation, "because we are concerned about this population in custody," the Sheriff's Office said.
The name of the deceased man is being withheld at this time pending notification of his next of kin.
The incident is the fifth reported incident in recent months.
In October 2023, a 64-year-old man who was being held at the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City died.
Just one day later, on Oct. 21, 2023, officers found a 34-year-old man who was housed alone, unresponsive in his cell. Authorities said officers began administering CPR until medical personnel station at the facility arrived and pronounced the man dead. The inmate was housed in the jail's behavioral health unit.
In January 2023, a 25-year-old woman, Maycarla Fernando Sulapas, suffered a medical emergency in the jail's intake and booking section and died at a nearby hospital about three hours later.
In October 2022, correctional officers found Matthew Britton, 34, unresponsive in his cell during a safety check. The Sheriff's Office said at the time that he likely died of natural causes.
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