An inmate died from a medical emergency on Tuesday morning in a toilet at a facility on Rikers Island. This incident marks the eighth reported inmate death in a city prison this year, according to officials.
Corrections personnel discovered the man lying on the floor of a restroom at the Eric M. Taylor Center, as stated by the city’s Department of Correction.
Upon realizing he was in medical distress, officers attempted to assist him and called for medical help, but officials later said their efforts were in vain.
The inmate was pronounced dead before 8:30 a.m., according to reports.
“The entire department is deeply saddened by the loss of an inmate in our care,” stated Chairman Lynelle Maginley-Liddie. “Our thoughts are with his loved ones. Any loss of life will be investigated, and we will thoroughly review what occurred in this situation.”
The deceased man has not been identified yet. His passing bring the total to nine individuals who have died shortly after being in the custody of the Department of Correction this year.
This latest death marks the eighth in a city-run prison within this calendar year, surpassing the total of inmate deaths in all of 2024, when five individuals died at the Bronx Correctional Facility in a similar timeframe.
Earlier this month, a cancer patient named Christian Kolado, aged 51, died while receiving treatment in the prison ward at Bellevue Hospital.
It was reported that Kolado’s legal representatives had asked for his release the day before he passed away due to his condition.
Additionally, in late June, two inmates died on the same day. Benjamin Kelly, 37, was found in distress and died at the Eric M. Taylor Center. Meanwhile, James Maldanad experienced a medical emergency while being transported back to Rikers after his discharge from the hospital, as he awaited a court hearing.
The beleaguered prison has been under federal oversight since 2015 due to ongoing issues. A federal judge appointed a monitor in May to help reform the facility, which has seen an increase in its population from around 4,000 in 2020 to over 7,000.
