An Escondido man being held at the Vista Detention Facility died Saturday, four days after he complained of flu-like symptoms, officials said.
Deputies conducting a weekly hygiene inspection saw the man, who was 46, sitting on the floor of his cell around 8 a.m. He was breathing but did not respond to queries, so they summoned two Medication Assistance Treatment deputies and a nurse, according to a news release by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
The nurse checked his vitals and offered him medication, but during treatment he started having difficulty breathing and went into medical distress. He received emergency medical aid from staff on-site until Vista Fire Department personnel arrived, but ultimately could not be saved.
The man had told deputies he was having flu-like symptoms on Tuesday. As a precaution, clinicians at the facility placed him in medical isolation for treatment and to prevent transmission to others in custody.
His name is being withheld as investigators attempt to locate and notify his family. He taken into custody on Nov. 25 on a felony warrant accusing him of bringing controlled substances into a jail or prison.
As is protocol for all in-custody deaths, the sheriff’s Homicide Unit responded and will conduct an investigation. The cause and manner of death will be determined by the county Medical Examiner’s Office.
In addition, a Citizen’s Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) representative was notified of the man’s death.
