DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. -- State police are investigating the in-custody death of a prisoner who arrived at Central State Hospital after being transported by four Henrico County Sheriff’s deputies.
Henrico County Sheriff Alisa Gregory said that 28-year-old Irvo Otieno was taken to Central State Monday afternoon due to a mental health crisis.
Gregory said that standard protocol for transport by her deputies is that a prisoner has on handcuffs and shackles.
Troopers said that Henrico County Sheriff's deputies arrived at Central State Hospital to admit Otieno for treatment around 4 p.m.
Gregory said that just after arriving at the forensics unit at the mental hospital, something happened and Dinwiddie County paramedics were called to the scene at 4:30 p.m.
“It was reported to state police that the individual, Irvo N. Otieno, 28, of Richmond, Va., became combative during the intake process,” a spokesperson for Virginia State Police said. “He was restrained, and later died.”
The paramedics tried to revive Otieno, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Troopers said Otieno’s body was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond for examination and autopsy.
Gregory said that while state police are handling the investigation at the mental hospital, her department went over everything that happened before the deputies left with Otieno.
“We have investigated everything up until the transport and there are no issues with any of their actions,” Gregory said. “They handled things properly and from my personal point of view, they went above and beyond.”
Gregory said the four deputies who performed the transport remains on duty.
Officials with the Department of Behavioral Health, which oversees Central State, said they are cooperating with the investigation and that their thoughts are with the individual’s family during this difficult time.
The investigation by the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation's remains ongoing, officials with state police said.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
