NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — An internal investigation into the recent death of a teen inside a holding cell revealed no foul play, but did highlight procedural oversights by local law enforcement in areas unrelated to the teen’s death, according to the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office.
Katrell Jaymar Washington, 17, died Nov. 16 after being found unresponsive in a holding cell in Norfolk Circuit Court. Washington was scheduled to appear in court that day for a hearing in relation to an incident that occurred at Maury High School on April 26.
The medical examiner determined Washington’s death was a suicide, caused by asphyxiation. He was the only person inside the cell.
The sheriff’s office says there were no indications that staff members failed to follow policies and procedures that could have directly contributed to Washington’s death. An investigation by the Norfolk Police Department and the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Richmond revealed similar findings.
However, the sheriff’s office admits there were areas “where personnel did not follow standard policies and procedures in some areas of normal operations.”
The sheriff’s office didn’t elaborate on the exact findings, but did say operational improvements that exceed those set by the Department of Corrections could prevent future deaths.
The sheriff’s office says those found in violation of procedure were disciplined.
One of the major issues surrounding the case was a lack of understanding when it came to Washington’s mental state.
Norfolk Sheriff Joe Baron told 10 On Your Side back in November that his policy calls for deputies to check on prisoners at least twice an hour, but his department strives for checks every 15 minutes.
“If there’s any indication that somebody has a medical issue, then yeah, we would be checking on them on a more regular basis,” Baron said at the time.
That issue has the sheriff’s office pushing legislators to make mandatory a form that would require outside law enforcement to disclose any information on an inmate’s mental or medical health before they’re admitted to jail. The sheriff’s office says that form doesn’t exist universally across the commonwealth.
“We are always looking for new ways and resources to better address mental illness in our jail. Our hearts go out to the family and friends who are mourning the loss of this young man. Words cannot express the pain that suicide leaves in its wake,” Sheriff Joe Baron said.
