Prisoner at Wyandotte County jail dies in custody Sunday; investigation under way
A 42-year-old prisoner being held at the Wyandotte County jail died on Easter Sunday, according to the sheriff’s office.
Joseph Herrington, of Kansas City, Kansas, was discovered unresponsive in the detention center shortly before 5 p.m. by a deputy who was serving meals, according to a statement from the sheriff’s department on Monday night.
Emergency medical personnel and deputies unsuccessfully attempted to revive him, according to police. An preliminary assessment indicated no signs of foul play, the sheriff’s office said, though the Kansas Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate.
The announcement of his death came Monday as Herrington’s family was notified. Further details were not immediately available from police.
Herrington appeared to have been held in the jail Sunday on an alleged probation violation. He was arrested Saturday by Kansas City, Kansas police.
The underlying order of probation stemmed from traffic violations, including eluding police, in 2021. He also was being held with a detainer for a felony drug possession case in Clay County, according to the sheriff’s office’s online booking log.
This story was originally published April 10, 2023 at 10:33 PM.
