Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Lancaster Man Hangs Himself After Spousal-Abuse Arrest

A Lancaster man hung himself in a holding cell at the Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Station in an apparent suicide just six hours after being arrested on suspicion of spousal abuse, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

A cellmate discovered Todd Fenske, 25, hanging from his bed at 4 p.m. Monday, said Deputy Angie McLaughlin. The cellmate, whose identity was not released, had been sleeping prior to discovering Fenske.

McLaughlin said deputies cut the 6-foot, 4-inch, 260-pound man free, but efforts by paramedics to revive him were unsuccessful.

Fenske was arrested at 10:45 a.m. Monday on suspicion of felony spousal abuse and was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, said McLaughlin. He was to be arraigned Wednesday.

Family members declined to discuss Fenske’s suicide and referred calls to Lancaster attorney David Wallin.

Wallin said he is still gathering details of Fenske’s death but that the family may file a wrongful death suit against the Sheriff’s Department.

“If our investigation shows the Sheriff’s Department was negligent in their duty to take care of one of their inmates, then wrongful death may be the result,” Wallin said. “The family has some problems with some of the things the Sheriff’s Department did in regard to this case.”

Wallin said Fenske’s wife only filed a report of spousal abuse on assurances that her husband would not be arrested. Fenske was arrested 30 minutes later.

The Sheriff’s Department was unable Thursday afternoon to provide information on the number of suicides that occur in sheriff’s station holding cells.