Investigation Underway After Woman Died In Cell at Century Regional Detention Facility in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (January 27, 2025) – A 50-year-old woman has tragically died in custody while at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County officials are saying that the incident took place on January 27, 2025. Correctional officers noticed that the woman was in some type of medical distress in her cell.
Jail staff and medical staff entered the cell and began life-saving measures. Despite those efforts, she was later pronounced dead inside of the jail cell.
A full investigation into the death at Century Regional Detention Facility remains ongoing at this time.
Legal Considerations for Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths
Los Angeles County has one of the highest incidents of in-custody deaths in all of California. According to the Vera Institute of Justice, “Overcrowded facilities are the most significant single factor driving jail deaths in Los Angeles. The jail system has operated as high as 16.7 percent over capacity since the start of last year. This means that not only are the facilities physically crowded, but resources are also being stretched beyond their breaking point.” There have been a number of other issues that have contributed to in-custody deaths in Los Angeles.
- A large amount of illicit drugs is smuggled into Los Angeles County jails.
- Los Angeles County jail inmates have often been subjected to excessive force by correctional officers.
- Inmates have been attacked by other inmates.
- Many inmates have not received adequate medical screenings.
Jails have a legal obligation to protect inmates from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes protecting them from any medical conditions that they may have. All inmates have a constitutional right to receive reasonably adequate care for their medical conditions. For some inmates, this may only require periodic health checks. However, many other inmates need care for chronic health conditions. If a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate. This could form the basis of a constitutional claim. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any inmate dies in custody.
- Autopsy results related to the death should be reviewed.
- Body camera footage from all the officers involved should be collected.
- The inmate’s medical history should be understood.
- The history of in-custody deaths at the facility in question should also be reviewed.
Inmate deaths tend not to be evenly distributed across different jails. They tend to occur more often at certain jails. In many cases, jails will claim that the death of any inmate in their care was “natural.” But the fact of the matter is that many deaths listed as being natural actually involved some amount of medical neglect. This is particularly true when an inmate dies suddenly in their jail cell. These incidents often involve jails that were not properly looking after or caring for an inmate.
Investigating Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths
We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of the woman who died at the Century Regional Detention Facility. Any person who may have more information should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that steps will be taken to help make this jail safer for everyone.
Do you need more information about an inmate death at the Century Regional Detention Facility? Our team of civil rights attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We can investigate the unique facts of your case free of cost and let you know if jail officials acted improperly. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any particular incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (949) 825-5200.
Legal Disclaimer
