Melvin James Anderson IV
Melvin James Anderson IV, 52, died in December 2021 while held at the Chester County jail in Pennsylvania. The Chester County coroner, Christina VandePol, said an autopsy found COVID-19 and that it likely caused his death, though the official ruling was still pending. Records reported to the state list the manner of death as natural causes, while the coroner's office said it had not been told about an outbreak at the prison when it collected his body. According to one account, he had shown respiratory symptoms for about two weeks, and staff did not know he had the virus.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (neglect alleged). The coroner says COVID-19 likely caused his death while the official ruling is pending, and the summary says staff did not know he had the virus despite about two weeks of respiratory symptoms.
Reported by: Chester County Coroner Christina VandePol (medical examiner or coroner); Chester County Prison (the agency that held him).