Local News in Brief : Orange : County Jail Inmate With Asthma Dies

A 36-year-old County Jail inmate suffering from acute asthma died Tuesday morning at UCI Medical Center in Orange, authorities said.

The woman, who was not identified pending notification of relatives, had been arrested by Santa Ana police on Jan. 4 on suspicion of possession of narcotics. She was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange Monday night after she had difficulty breathing, Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Richard J. Olson said.

“She was listed as a medical booking,” Olson said. “Therefore she was seen by a physician who determined that she had acute asthma problems.”

The inmate was placed in the jail infirmary and was under observation by the medical staff. When she first began having difficulty breathing at about 6:30 p.m. Monday, the medical staff gave her medication, which she appeared to respond to, Olson said.

However, she suffered another asthma attack about 10:45 p.m., and the jail physician gave her more medication and ordered her to be sent to UCI Medical Center, Olson said.

After jail officials called for an ambulance, the woman collapsed. The jail medical staff began cardiopulmonary resuscitation and paramedics continued to try to revive her in the ambulance, Olson said. She died at 2:05 a.m.

As with all jail deaths, the district ttorney’s office is conducting an investigation, and an autopsy is pending.