Police this week are still looking into why a woman who had been arrested on a felony narcotics charge went into medical distress and died while in custody at the Long Beach City Jail.

The 50-year-old woman, who is not being identified until the coroner can notify next of kin, was arrested in the area of Myrtle Ave. and 14th St. last Wednesday at around 2PM and was brought Downtown where she was booked and placed in a holding cell. At around 5PM, while alone in the cell, police say she began to go into medical distress. 

Jail personnel, as well as on-duty medical personnel, began life-saving measures on the woman. Long Beach Fire Department paramedics were also summoned to continue efforts, however, the woman was pronounced deceased on site. 

“She did not show signs of intoxication or medical distress at the time of arrest,” said Long Beach Police Department’s Sgt. Aaron Eaton. “…We are awaiting lab results to verify the narcotics [she was arrested with].”

Records show that this is the first in-custody death the LBPD has had in nearly two years, the last being a prisoner who got ill after arriving at the L.A. County Men’s Central Jail in 2011. In that instance, the prisoner was alert during a routine transport to L.A. by LBPD officers, but was pronounced deceased at a nearby hospital after his condition deteriorated. There was no indication that force was involved. 

It is unclear if pepper spray or other force was used on the woman who most recently died in-custody, but as with all in-custody death cases, the Long Beach Police Homicide Detail is conducting an investigation. In addition, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office is conducting an independent investigation to determine cause of death.

Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives Scott Lasch and Donald Goodman at (562) 570-7244.

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