The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 49-year old man at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center early Wednesday.
At about 5 a.m., a detention officer declared there was a medical emergency at the jail, the sheriff's office said. Bryon Miller was found unresponsive in his housing unit, and the sheriff's office said personnel started emergency medical measures on Miller.
The Charlotte Fire Department and Mecklenburg EMS arrived and also attempted to resuscitate Miller, but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at 5:38 a.m. Miller had been in custody since his Jan. 14 arrest.
“MCSO is saddened by this untimely death, and we extend our deepest sympathies to Bryon Miller’s family and loved ones. The death of any person in our custody and care is always difficult and touches the humanity in us all,” Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said in a statement.
Citing medical privacy laws, the sheriff's office didn't release any information about Miller's medical condition.
Miller was arrested on Jan. 14 and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and drug paraphernalia, driving with a revoked license and eluding arrest. He was processed into custody at the jail on Jan. 15.
In 2022, five inmates died while in custody at the Mecklenburg County Jail. Investigators have pointed to challenges hiring and retaining staff at the jail as contributing factors.
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) will also conduct an in-custody death investigation as the medical examiner determines the cause of death, the sheriff's office said.