Recent inmate death is fifth this year in Mecklenburg County, deputies say

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office are investigating the death of an inmate at Jail North.

[ [Activists to hold vigil Monday to raise awareness about recent jail deaths] ]

The Sheriff's Office said 33-year-old Karla Griffin died just after midnight Wednesday.

Officials said they are investigating an "apparent suicide death."

Griffin was being housed in a general housing pod at the jail.

Deputies said they found Griffin dead, hanged by a bedsheet.

Griffin is the third inmate to die by apparent suicide this year, and there have been two other deaths, officials said.

Sheriff Irwin Carmichael said Griffin gave no indication that she was in any kind of mental distress.

He said his officers receive a lot of mental health training, and after each incident, his department has been given a passing grade by investigators.

"In my 32 years, I have never seen this,” Carmichael said. “This is why we are taking the steps today that I have of calling the SBI, to help and assist with this."

The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office said it had averaged one inmate death in a year for the past three to four years.

However, those statistics have increased since May.

In addition to calling the SBI, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office are investigating.

Carmichael said deputies check on inmates every 30 minutes at random intervals and sometime more frequently than that.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for more information. 

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