A 19-year-old inmate died at the Alachua County Jail on Saturday after two months in custody.
Gainesville resident Maurice Devonte Page was found unconscious and not breathing in his cell at about 5:30 p.m., said Sgt. Chris Sims, a spokesperson for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
The detention officer who found him called nursing staff for help, and Gainesville Fire Rescue and then Alachua County Fire Rescue personnel attempted CPR for about 30 minutes before Page was declared dead, Sims said.
Sims said both an investigation into cause of death and internal investigation, to ensure jail staff acted ethically and within the right protocol leading up to Page’s death, are underway and should take about two months.
“There is no foul play or criminal activity suspected,” Sims said.
Page was arrested in July after being accused of sexual assault to a victim under 12 years old, according to court records.
Prior to Saturday, no deaths had been reported in the jail for more than a year, Sims said.
In 2015, there were three reported inmate deaths, two due to suicide and one to a preexisting medical condition.
WCJB reported that the family will hold a candlelight vigil on Friday night and a funeral on Saturday.
Page
