COVID-19 likely cause of jail inmate’s death

A Bexar County Jail inmate died Monday from what officials said appears to be from COVID-19 complications.

The 45-year-old inmate, who was not identified, was pronounced dead at 1:12 p.m. at University Hospital, the Bexar County Sheriff ’s Office said.

He had been incarcerated since May 16 on a charge of sexual assault of a child.

Officials said they will identify the inmate once next of kin has been notified.

On Jan. 2, the inmate notified jail staff that he was experiencing COVID-LIKE symptoms, officials said. He was tested for COVID-19 and quarantined pending results of the test, which came back positive that same day.

The inmate was then relocated to the jail’s infirmary for medical observation and treatment, officials said.

On Jan. 6, the inmate began experiencing COVID-19 complications and was taken to the hospital.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet ruled on the exact cause of death.

The inmate’s death would be the third at the jail tied to the coronavirus. On Monday, officials confirmed the deaths of two other inmates have been linked to the virus since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The sheriff ’s office criminal investigations division, internal affairs and public integrity units are investigating the inmate’s death.

The Wilson County Sheriff ’s Office has been notified of the death as an outside agency assigned to investigate, which is required by both the Sandra Bland Act and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.