Crime

19-year-old inmate’s death in Wake County jail under investigation by SBI

The Wake County Sheriff’s Office said officers conducting their rounds found a man unresponsive Monday afternoon in his cell.
The Wake County Sheriff’s Office said officers conducting their rounds found a man unresponsive Monday afternoon in his cell.

An inmate’s 19-year-old’s death in the Wake County Detention Center Monday is being investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Sheriff’s Office reported that detention officers found the inmate Da’Marious McClain unresponsive in his cell about 3:05 p.m. while they were making their rounds, according to a news release.

The officers and the jails medical staff began CPR until first responders arrived to provide aid, according to a news release.

McClain died. Rosalia Fodera, a spokesperson for the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, said the cause of death is part of the investigation and that officials are waiting on a report from the medical examiner.

The SBI will submit its investigation to the Wake County District Attorney. The Wake County Sheriff’s Office will conduct its own investigation.

McClain has been arrested several times since 2020. He had been in Wake County jail since April 1 this year, Fodera said. Raleigh police had charged him with common law robbery, assault afflicting serious injury, communicating threats, malicious conduct by prisoner/throw and resisting public officer.

On April 10, he was served a warrant for assault on a female. His most recent charge was July 7: malicious conduct by prisoner/throw, Fodera said.

This story was originally published July 24, 2023 at 8:09 PM.

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Jessica Banov
The News & Observer
Jessica Banov is an editor and audience growth specialist at The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. She is the night Breaking News Editor for McClatchy’s Southeast region and The N&O’s Features Editor. She also serves as The News & Observer’s intern program coordinator.
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