Officials at the Penobscot County Jail reported Thursday that they are investigating the death of an inmate.
Corrections officers responded to an emergency situation within a quarantine unit in the jail at approximately 8:20 p.m. Tuesday. Officers found the inmate unresponsive, with other inmates attempting to resuscitate him. Efforts by corrections officers and medical staff to revive the inmate failed.
Preliminary indications are that the man’s death may be connected to a drug overdose.
The investigation indicates that the medical event suffered by the inmate was not caused by a physical altercation with other inmates, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“The incident is being investigated as a potential overdose death and we are awaiting results of a post-mortem examination from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Bangor Police Department was called in to investigate. The Maine Department of Corrections and the Maine Attorney General’s Office were also notified.
The inmate’s name has not been released pending notification of his family and friends.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
