Jasper County inmate dies at detention center, SLED investigates

JASPER COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an internal investigation after the death of a 25-year-old woman at the Jasper County Detention Center on July 1, 2026.

The inmate was booked into the detention center on Monday, June 29. On Tuesday, June 30, the sheriff’s office said detention staff saw her showing unusual behavior and believed she posed a risk of self-harm. She was temporarily restrained and transported to Coastal Carolina Medical Center for evaluation. After being medically cleared and released, she returned to the detention center and was housed alone in a video-monitored cell.

Events of July 1

In accordance with detention center policy, the sheriff’s office said inmates get routine welfare checks at least once every hour. The inmate was checked periodically throughout July 1 and was last checked on at 7:18 p.m. She was found unresponsive during a subsequent welfare check. Staff immediately initiated life-saving measures, but she was pronounced dead by Jasper County EMS at 8:01 p.m.

Autopsy and investigation

The Sheriff’s Office received the preliminary autopsy report on Monday, July 6. The report found no conclusive cause of death and law enforcement said toxicology results remain pending.

As is standard procedure for in-custody deaths, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is conducting an independent investigation while the Sheriff’s Office continues its internal administrative review. No further information will be released while the investigations remain active.