SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – The San Diego County Sheriff's Department announced two inmates have died in-custody in three days on Thursday.
A 27-year-old man died at UCSD Medical Center after being found unresponsive in his jail cell on Wednesday, and a 66-year-old man died in-custody at Alvarado Hospital on Monday.
San Diegans like Sabrina Weddle and Paloma Serna know all too well about tragedies like these.
"So my brother died July 20th, 2021. He was number seven of I believe 18 deaths that year,” Weddle said.
"We found out that she had like 13 seizures in just one day and she collapsed and left there to die in her own filth,” Serna said when talking about her daughter Elisa who died in custody in 2019.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department records show there were 19 in-custody deaths last year. So far in 2023, there are six in-custody deaths per the department’s records at the last count on June 23rd.
“There’s really just that can come about it. You know, these people are humans and these deaths need to stop,” Weddle said.
ABC 10news reached out to the Sheriff's Department about the latest in-custody deaths and what's being done to improve the safety and wellness of those in-custody.
The department told us in a statement,
“The Sheriff's Department extends our sympathies to everyone affected by the death of Pedro Ornelas and Paul Heimark. We are committed to the safety and security of everyone who is in our custody. Mr. Heimark was remanded to Sheriff's custody by the court. At the time of his booking, our medical staff evaluated that he needed hospitalization and that he was not appropriate for being housed in a facility. He was transported to Alvarado Hospital where he remained for the duration of his time in custody and where he was being treated when he passed away. There was nothing further that the Sheriff's Department could have provided for his care.
Upon discovering Mr. Ornelas in his cell, deputies and staff provided immediate life saving measures. Unfortunately, we were unable to save him. The cause and manner of death in his case will be determined by the medical examiner.
The Sheriff's Department continually and immediately reviews all cases where death occurs in our custody to ensure that we are not only providing the highest quality care, but also following our policies and the law. We have made many improvements in the way that we provide care in the last year and a link to those changes can be found here:
Detention Services Bureau | San Diego County Sheriff (sdsheriff.gov) [sdsheriff.gov]
County Jail Improvements | News Release | San Diego County Sheriff (sdsheriff.gov) [sdsheriff.gov]
We believe every death is a tragedy but will always look for ways to continue improving our ability to care for those in our custody.”
Serna says this development shows the need for transparency regarding these in-custody deaths.
"It's sad to say that we don't have time to mourn. We need to fight. We really do. We can mourn after we get the justice for our loved ones,” Serna said.
It's a sentiment some activists echo.
"The promises that we've had that things will change; they're not looking like it. So, we're trying to hold feet to the fire by transparency, accountability for people who have lost lives,” Yusef Miller, Executive Director of North County Equity & Justice Coalition
