Fourth detainee death this month at Rikers Island

A woman detainee died at Rikers Island early Thursday, which officials believe may be a suicide. This incident took place in the West Facility, marking the fourth death at New York City jails since February 19. It is the second death within just five days. Correction officials reported that the woman was declared dead at 5:23 a.m. Staff had tried to wake her around 4:47 a.m. when they distributed breakfast but received no response. Medical teams attempted resuscitation but were unable to save her. An investigation is currently underway. This recent death follows that of 20-year-old Ariel Quidone, who passed away on Saturday after being transferred to Elmhurst Hospital. Earlier, Ramel Powell and Terence Moore also died in separate jail facilities in February. The West Facility, traditionally a male-only area, has recently started housing women, highlighting the overcrowded conditions within the jail system. The Department of Corrections has been granted permission to increase the number of beds due to this overcrowding. Recent figures show the jail population has surged past 7,000, a number not seen in years. Former DOC Commissioner Louis Molina had anticipated this rise by late 2024. Meanwhile, a report from the Independent Rikers Commission described the high population as "artificially inflated" due to delays in the court system and a significant number of mentally ill detainees.