North Carolina sheriff seeks investigation after 4th suicide

WENTWORTH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina sheriff is calling for an investigation after an inmate at the county jail died from a self-inflicted injury, the fourth suicide reported in 15 months.

Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to lead a look into the latest death, which is standard procedure, the News & Record of Greensboro reported. The sheriff’s office will also conduct an internal investigation to determine whether any agency policies or procedures were violated.

While jail officers were making inmate checks early Tuesday, they found one inmate had attempted to kill themselves, a news release said. Officers and emergency medical workers gave aid to the inmate before he died of what the news release said was an “apparent self-inflicted injury.

The unidentified inmate, who was booked into the jail early Monday, was in his cell alone, the news release said.

Another inmate died April 22 from a medical emergency while being booked into the jail, officials said.

Three inmates under 30 died in February 2021 of self-inflicted injuries, leading Page to pledge to step up suicide-risk training and possibly increase detention center staff.