An inmate was found unresponsive in a cell at the Gaston County Jail Friday night, and preliminary evidence indicates the death may have been a suicide.
A detention officer discovered the inmate at about 8:30 p.m. on August 14. Their identity is being withheld while family notifications are made.
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The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has been asked to conduct an independent investigation, as is standard for deaths involving someone in the custody of the Gaston County Sheriff's Office.
The State Medical Examiner's Office will determine the official cause of death.
The Sheriff's Office is also conducting a separate administrative review to examine detention staff actions and the circumstances leading up to the inmate's death.
Both investigations remain ongoing.