Inmate at St. Clair County Jail dies from COVID-19, officials say

An inmate at the St. Clair County Jail has died from complications from COVID-19, the Sheriff’s Department confirmed.

The 63-year-old man died Jan. 26 at Belleville Memorial Hospital, 10 days after testing positive for the virus and three days after being transferred by ambulance from the jail.

St. Clair County Sheriff Sgt. James Hendricks issued a press release acknowledging the death Wednesday after a Belleville News-Democrat reporter requested comment from Sheriff Rick Watson about complaints that jail staff were not doing enough to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

The Sheriff’s Department release did not identify the prisoner by name.

According to the release, the detainee arrived St. Clair County Jail in July 2019, after his bond was revoked on a federal charge of aggravated battery with a firearm, according to the sheriff’s release.

He checked in with some pre-existing conditions.

The Sheriff’s Department release said the tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 16 and was moved to the jail infirmary shortly after.

The Sheriff’s Department release stated that its staff takes all precautions possible to limit the spread of COVID-19 through a jail that is chronically overcrowded.

Hendricks said face coverings and gloves are worn by staff at all times and that, in addition to regular cleaning, the jail is sanitized twice daily with a bleach solution commonly used in hospitals.

The release said that new inmates fill out a questionnaire to alert guards of medical problems or pre-existing conditions that would put them at a higher risk for contracting the coronavirus and, recently, staff have begun administering rapid tests that can tell within 15 minutes if an inmate is positive.

“We have provided two facial coverings that have been issued to each detainee,” the release stated. “We have also purchased two Clorox Total 360 machines that are used to further disinfect areas inside of the facility. The use of these machines in combination with other sanitation methods further reduces the spread of many viruses inside of the building.”

Since March 11, 2020, the jail has administered 1,205 COVID-19 tests and confirmed 200 cases, the Sheriff’s Department release stated.

This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 9:06 PM.