An inmate at the San Benito County jail committed suicide at the detention facility over the weekend, according to authorities.
About 8:11am Oct. 2, an inmate who was alone in his cell was discovered by jail staff hanging from a bedsheet, says a press release from Sheriff Eric Taylor’s office. Medics responded to the jail, located at 710 Flynn Road, and pronounced the inmate dead.
Jail staff have provided chaplain’s services for staff and inmates. The sheriff’s office, which runs the jail, has also called the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office to conduct an independent investigation, which is ongoing, according to authorities.
The sheriff’s office does not release the names of people who died by suicide in San Benito County, says the press release. The inmate who died Oct. 1 was a 27-year-old male. His family has been notified of his death.
Anyone suffering from a mental health crisis or who is in need of services can call the San Benito County Behavioral Health Crisis line at 888.636.4020 or 831.636.4020, or visit the county’s behavioral health website at www.cosb.us/departments/behavioral-health. The national Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 800.273.8255.
