Name not reported
A 42-year-old Latino man was found hanging in his cell at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton on March 1, 2020, ten days after he was moved there from a county jail. The Washington Corrections Ombuds investigation found that the mental health screener did not sufficiently review his records during an intake day with a very high number of arrivals, and that his history of suicide attempts was not noted. The state's own Department of Corrections review described a mindset of getting people in and out quickly. The ombuds and the department treated the death as a suicide.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (neglect alleged). The Corrections Ombuds investigation found the mental health screener did not sufficiently review his records during a high-volume intake day and did not note his history of suicide attempts.
Reported by: Washington Corrections Ombuds (OCO) investigation (outside investigators); Department of Corrections internal investigation (the agency that held him).