Allegheny County Jail inmate dies at hospital

PITTSBURGH — An inmate at the Allegheny County Jail died at a local hospital Wednesday morning.

According to officials, the 27-year-old male was taken to the jail on Sept. 9 for a bench warrant and detainer charge from another county.

The inmate tested positive for fentanyl, methamphetamines and amphetamines during intake and was in detox protocols, officials said.

At around 7:35 a.m. Wednesday, a corrections officer found that the inmate was in medical distress. Correctional and medical staff responded to the medical emergency and the inmate put himself onto a stretcher.

When paramedics arrived, the inmate was taken to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead at 9:17 a.m.

“We extend our sympathy to the family and friends of this individual on his death. This facility, along with many others, has individuals who come to our doors on a daily basis with a variety of health issues, including drug and alcohol use. We are continuing to work with our partners to increase surveillance and take other measures to address preventable deaths but also recognize that not all deaths are preventable,” Warden Orlando Harper said. “We have significantly decreased the number of deaths in our facility but will continue to work to improve our processes and response to medical emergencies brought on by drug or alcohol use, or detoxification.”

Allegheny County police are investigating the death, officials said.

In late June, the Allegheny County manager contracted with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) for a review of the jail’s intake and detox protocols. The review team began work in early August and their report will provide recommendations to improve current processes and services.

The report is expected to come out in about a month, officials said.

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