An Adair County man died at the regional jail during the early morning hours Monday.
Anthony Robinson, 52, had a history of medical issues since being housed at the jail, according to Jailer Jamie Richard.
Richard said his staff had been helping Robinson in the moments prior to his death, with one employee making him oatmeal in an attempt to get him to eat.
Local emergency services were called to the jail when Robinson became unresponsive. Police arrived on the scene and provided CPR until EMS arrived.
Richard said the facility’s nurse had requested that Robinson be transferred due to his medical condition but the Kentucky Department of Corrections had not yet made the move. Robinson pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance, 1st degree, and possession of marijuana. He was sentenced to five years in prison and became a state inmate on March 14.
Richard said he could not give specifics about what was going on just prior to Robinson’s death, but he believed his staff did everything correctly. Staff had taken Robinson to booking, got him a shower and tried to coax him to eat, Richard said.
Staffing issues at the jail have been in the news lately but Richard said he was fully staffed at the time of Robinson’s death. Richard went to the jail following the incident and stayed with staff members as they processed the loss.
“I hate it. It’s a bad day,” he said.
The death is being investigated by the Kentucky State Police.