Jail Suicides to Prompt Redesign of Bunk Beds
A county jail inmate hanged himself in his cell Wednesday, which will lead Sacramento County officials to redesign bunk beds after the year’s fourth apparent suicide.
Three of the four inmates used small holes in the top of the bunk beds to hold the nooses, sheriff’s deputies said.
Sgt. James Lewis said the holes measure about a quarter-inch in diameter and were put in the top bunks for drainage during cleaning.
Wednesday’s apparent suicide occurred shortly after midnight. His cellmate, who was asleep on the top bunk, told deputies he did not hear the man die.
The man complained just hours before his death that heroin withdrawal was making him suicidal, Lewis said.
The man was given medication to ease withdrawal symptoms and was examined by the jail’s psychiatric staff.
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