UPDATE, March 9 | An investigation is still ongoing after an inmate died Saturday at the Jackson County Detention Center, per the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
An official report on the cause and manner of death from the Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office has not yet been released.
The 22-year-old inmate who died as been identified as Rasaan Eason, of Kansas City, Missouri.
The other inmate who was found unresponsive Saturday, a 42-year-old man, remains under observation at the hospital Monday.
ORIGINAL REPORT, March 7 | The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation after a man was found unresponsive at the Jackson County Detention Center and later died at a local hospital overnight.
At about 2 a.m. Saturday, corrections officers within the Jackson County Detention Center were performing scheduled well-being checks when they discovered two inmates unresponsive inside a housing unit.
Corrections officers and on-site medical personnel immediately initiated lifesaving measures before emergency medical services from the Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department arrived.
One inmate, a 22-year-old male from KCMO, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Another inmate, a 42-year-old male from Independence, is still in critical condition.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office detectives are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A preliminary investigation revealed the inmates ingested an unknown substance before becoming unresponsive, authorities said.
“I am deeply saddened by the death of our inmate, and my thoughts remain with their family and those affected. As we continue to gather information, our focus is on determining the facts and understanding what occurred,” said Sheriff Darryl Forté.
The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the inmate's official cause of death.
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