On June 9, an inmate was found unresponsive in his cell at the Burke County Jail. Detention and medical personnel responded immediately and initiated life-saving measures while requesting assistance from Burke County EMS, who also responded to the scene. Despite these efforts, the inmate was pronounced deceased a short time later.
The Burke County Sheriff’s Office has requested that the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) conduct an independent investigation. In accordance with state law, the Sheriff’s Office has also reported the death to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.