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| Prison inmate suffocates himself |
| By The Patriot-News |
| Published: 07/18/2005 |
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A Dauphin County (Pa.) inmate killed himself last week by using paper and orange peels to suffocate himself, officials said. The 49-year-old man, whose name is not being released until his family is notified, was already under a heightened suicide watch following two attempts in a week, officials said. "This is a sad situation," said county Commission Chairman Jeff Haste, who oversees the Swatara Twp.-based prison. "This individual lost his parents and wife in the past 16 months." The inmate entered the jail July 9 after being arrested for his third drunken driving offense, Haste said. He was awaiting a hearing and had not been able to make bail, Haste said. According to Haste, the inmate forced pieces of orange peel and paper in his throat and nose, and somehow was able to bind his hands behind his back so he couldn't involuntarily free his air passage when he started to choke. The inmate also put a sheet over himself, so to an observer it would appear that he was merely sleeping, Haste said. Haste said the inmate was on suicide watch, which entails being in a private cell with correctional officers checking on him at least every 15 minutes. Following standard procedure, the incident will be reviewed by the prison administration as well as the county's criminal investigative division, Haste said. Prison officials were trying to find a psychiatric facility to accept the inmate, he said. |
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