HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A Harris County Jail inmate hung herself in a general population cell, according to authorities.
Tracy Whited, 42, was arrested and jailed on a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge on Saturday, officials said. She was charged with an additional misdemeanor escape charge when she attempted to leave the jail booking facility later in the day, according to officials.
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Authorities said Whited denied having "thoughts of harming herself" during her standard health screening protocol during processing, Harris County officials said.
She was placed in a general population cell, which holds about 48 inmates. The cell was close to full, officials said.
Around 7:25 a.m. Monday, another inmate alerted detention officers that Whited was unconscious and hanging from a bed sheet attached to her bunk.
Whited was immediately freed from the sheet and CPR was started.
Whited was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where she was declared dead two days later.