No sign inmate’s ‘medical related’ death is due to COVID-19, Manatee sheriff says

A 28-year-old inmate at the county jail died early Friday due to a “medical related” issue, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

The name of the inmate was not immediately released pending notification of next of kin.

According to the sheriff’s office, the inmate was found unresponsive in his cell at around 2:30 a.m. Deputies began CPR and EMS was contacted. EMS responded a short time later and the inmate was pronounced dead after further measures were taking to save his life.

Detectives are investigating, but, “There are no obvious signs of foul play,” according to the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff’s spokesman Randy Warren could not immediately say if the inmate showed symptoms of anything related to COVID-19.

“We don’t know any of that right now,” Warren said. “Obviously, an autopsy will have to be done and it’s been ordered. They will handle all that kind of testing, but all we can say right now is that there are no signs of foul play involved with this and it’s medically related.”

This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 12:17 PM.