North Carolina sheriff seeks investigation after 4th suicide

Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page

WENTWORTH — A North Carolina sheriff is calling for an investigation after an inmate at the county jail died from a self-inflicted injury, the fourth suicide reported in 15 months.

Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to lead a look into the latest death, which is standard procedure, the News & Record of Greensboro reported. The sheriff’s office will also conduct an internal investigation to determine whether any agency policies or procedures were violated.

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While jail officers were making inmate checks early Tuesday, they found one inmate had attempted to kill themselves, a news release said. Officers and emergency medical workers gave aid to the inmate before he died of what the news release said was an “apparent self-inflicted injury.”

The unidentified inmate, who was booked into the jail early Monday, was in his cell alone, the news release said.

Another inmate died April 22 from a medical emergency while being booked into the jail, officials said.

Three inmates under 30 died in February 2021 of self-inflicted injuries, leading Page to pledge to step up suicide-risk training and possibly increase detention center staff.

An SBI spokeswoman confirmed the agency had received the sheriff’s request.