S.D. COUNTY JAIL INMATE’S DEATH RULED A HOMICIDE
Man died of pneumonia, malnutrition, ‘ineffective delivery’ of care last year
A 46-year-old man found in a downtown San Diego jail cell last year died of pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration, accompanied by “neglected” schizophrenia, according to county authorities.
The Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide, citing “ineffective” care from jail staff.
Lonnie Rupard, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was found unresponsive in his cell about 10:45 p.m. on March 17. He had been in custody for three months.
According to an autopsy report released Thursday, Deputy Medical Examiner Bethann Schaber determined that while Rupard was given meals, water and offered medication, “ineffective delivery” of care in jail preceded his death. “While elements of self-neglect” were noted, Rupard depended on the care of others, the report states.
The Sheriff ’s Department said a homicide investigation is under way. When it is completed, detectives will turn the case over to the county District Attorney’s Office for prosecutors to determine whether to file criminal charges in Rupard’s death.
“At the San Diego County Sheriff ’s Department, we are committed to the safety of the people entrusted in our care,” the department said in a statement. “We are resolved in our core values of recognizing the dignity and value of every human life.
“We thank the M.E.’s Office for its thorough report and respect its findings,” the department said.
For years, San Diego County has been plagued by a significantly higher mortality rate in its jail system, which is run by the Sheriff’s Department, compared
with other large counties in the state.
In 2021, the state auditor investigated local jails, a probe prompted by 185 deaths in county jails over 15 years. The audit, released last year, found the Sheriff ’s Department failed to prevent and respond to the deaths.
Paul Parker, the executive officer of the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board, which provides civilian oversight for the department, called it a “big deal” that the Medical Examiner’s Office attributed Rupard’s death to neglect and ineffective care.
“Had there not been neglect, (Rupard) would not have died,” Parker said. “That’s what this means.”
Rupard was booked into jail Dec. 19, 2021, after National City police arrested him on suspicion of a parole violation.
He had a history of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, according to the autopsy report. After his death, his mother and an ex-wife told an investigator that at times he did not take his medication. They said episodes of violence led to him being “in and out” of jail.
During his last stint in jail, over the course of about two months, Rupard underwent several psychiatric evaluations, and was generally uncooperative, according to the autopsy report. He also turned down medications.
No other “sick calls or progress notes” were documented between Feb. 23, 2022, and March 17, 2022, the day he died, according to the report.
Three days earlier, however, a court-appointed psychiatrist evaluated Rupard to assess whether he was competent to stand trial in his criminal case. The psychiatrist completed a report dated March 24, 2022, which was referenced in the autopsy report released this week.
“The psychiatrist noted the cell was dirty with trash throughout,” the report read. “The toilet was full of excrement and the room was malodorous. There was feces on the floor and food smeared on the walls. The decedent was described as unkempt and dirty himself.”
The psychiatrist concluded Rupard suffered from severe mental illness and was not competent to stand trial. The doctor recommended that Rupard be sent to a state hospital and that he be given antipsychotic medication involuntarily as allowed by law.
According to the autopsy report, Rupard was last seen alive during cell checks about 9:45 p.m. on March 17. About an hour later, he was found unresponsive in his bunk, covered with a blanket. He was not breathing.
Jail staff started CPR. Paramedics took over and rushed him to a hospital, where he died.
Deputies noticed his cell was soiled with feces, according to the autopsy report. Old food that contained insect larvae was also in the cell.
The report noted that Rupard had lost 60 pounds during the three months he was in custody. It listed COVID-19 viral infection, a chronic lung condition and stomach ulcer as contributing factors.
Aside from the homicide investigation, an internal investigation — launched in April — is under way to determine whether there were any violations of department policy.
Last month, the Sheriff ’s Department released a summary of findings by a group of top department officials who review in-custody deaths and other serious in-custody incidents. The summary did not provide details about the level of care provided to Rupard in jail aside from the medical treatment he received the day he was found unresponsive, namely CPR.
The summary noted the Medical Examiner’s Office had not yet determined the cause and manner of death.
The department did not say when it expects to complete the homicide investigation, and did not respond to questions from the UnionTribune.
The Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board also is reviewing the incident. With the autopsy report completed, the board will work to complete its review and issue recommendations to the department at its March 21 meeting, Parker said. He said he was pleased the latest information was made public.
Rupard was among 19 inmates who died in San Diego County jails last year — a record. A 20th person who had been long hospitalized died shortly after he was released for medical reasons.
On Thursday, the department said it had made several changes in the jails, including working to streamline the care inmates receive, based on briefings from psychiatrists.
“These changes have helped staff recognize when a vulnerable individual may not be able to advocate for themselves and staff need to intervene on their behalf,” the department said.
So far this year, two inmates have died in Sheriff ’s Department custody.