Inmate Dies During Medical Emergency at Rikers Island Facility

An inmate died early Tuesday morning after experiencing a medical emergency in a bathroom at a Rikers Island detention center, marking the eighth inmate death reported this year in the city’s jails.

According to authorities, a correction officer found the inmate—whose identity has not yet been disclosed—unresponsive on the restroom floor in the Eric M. Taylor Center. Medical staff responded immediately, but efforts to save him were unsuccessful. The inmate was pronounced dead shortly before 8:30 a.m.

General view of the way to Rikers Island — The inmate was discovered suffering from a medical crisis in a restroom at the Eric M. Taylor Center.

“The entire Department is deeply saddened by this loss,” stated a Department of Correction spokesperson. “Our thoughts are with his loved ones. Each death in our custody is thoroughly investigated.”

General view of Rikers Island Correctional Center — The recent death brings the total inmate fatalities to eight in city custody this year, surpassing the five deaths recorded in all of 2024.

This incident follows the death of Christian Collado, a 51-year-old cancer patient, who passed away last week at Bellevue Hospital’s jail ward while under palliative care. The latest death also extends the trend of increasing inmate fatalities, with several dying shortly after release; in June, two inmates succumbed to medical issues on the same day.

One of those, Benjamin Kelly, 37, died at the Eric M. Taylor Center after being found in medical distress, and James Maldanado, 56, suffered a medical emergency en route to Rikers following hospital discharge. The jail system, plagued by ongoing problems, has been under federal oversight since 2015. Recent measures include appointing a remediation manager to address overcrowding and systemic issues as inmate populations have grown significantly.