A woman died in custody at Rikers Island early Thursday morning, the city’s Department of Correction (DOC) said — making her the fourth person to die in the department’s custody in less than a month.
According to DOC officials, the inmate was found dead inside the jail’s West Facility shortly before 5:30 a.m. on March 20.
A correction officer was starting to give breakfast to the woman, but after not receiving a response from her, DOC immediately notified the on-duty nurse.
At that point, guards activated an emergency, and medical staff responded until EMS arrived on scene. However, lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, and the woman was pronounced dead at 5:23 a.m.
The woman’s name is being withheld pending family notification. No further information about the cause of death was provided.
The DOC said in a statement that it notified the federal monitor, Board of Correction, NYS Attorney General’s Office, city Department of Investigation, State Commission of Correction and district attorneys.
“Care for those in our facilities is a pillar of our mission and a loss of life weighs heavily on every member of service,” DOC Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie said. “The department grieves this loss and shares our condolences with her loved ones. This death will be investigated thoroughly.”
The incident comes after the death last week of 20-year-old Ariel Quidone, who was found unresponsive in his Riker’s Island cell. He was taken to a nearby hospital and died shortly after.
Another person incarcerated at Rikers Island died in custody on Feb. 19.
A statement from the Freedom Agenda, an organization that supports decarceration, said the most recent death marks the 37th person to die in custody since Mayor Eric Adams took office.
“When is this going to stop? Rikers Island is a death camp, and filling it up can only result in more death,” Freedom Agenda co-director Darren Mack said. “Eric Adams has always had the tools at his disposal to safely divert people from this torture chamber but chose not to. Today, he has more blood on his hands, and another family is grieving.”
The deaths behind bars come as advocates continue to push for the closure of Rikers Island per a city law passed in 2019. The controversial closure would come with the construction of four community-based jails throughout the city, but those facilities are far from complete as they face strong opposition.
On Wednesday, the Independent Rikers Commission issued a report indicating that the city is not in a position to fulfill its 2027 mandate to shutter Rikers and replace the facility with community-based jails. The commission called upon city leaders to address the logistical challenges and forge a path toward Rikers’ closure.
