Inmate’s death due to natural causes
Published 5:30 pm Thursday, December 14, 2006
The death of the inmate that was reported to the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors Monday morning has been determined to be due to a long standing heart condition.
Sheriff Joe Stuart reported to the board Monday morning that an inmate passed out in her cell and was taken to Highland Community Hospital.
The incident occurred Dec. 10 at about 1:10 p.m. when a correction officer found Venus Bridges, 42, unconscious on the floor of her cell, said Investigator Chris Lott.
Emergency personnel were called and the patient was taken to the local hospital where she was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m., Lott said.
Lott said the correction officer performed CPR until the emergency personnel arrived and took her to the hospital. Lott said the coroner’s report states that Bridges died from a hypertensive heart disorder, which was due to high blood pressure and blocked arteries.
In an unrelated incident on Dec. 6, at about 3 p.m. deputies served a search warrant on Michael Mitchell, 50, at his home located at 307 Carey Byrd Rd., Henleyfield.
“This was a search warrant resulting from an ongoing narcotics investigation,” Lott said. “My guys were squared away when they went in, they took care of the situation.”
During the search of the home deputies found a half pound of marijuana, baggies, scales and several weapons including a pistol and an assault riffle, Lott said. Deputies charged Mitchell with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Anther incident on Dec. 10 resulted in the arrest of Steven Stevens, 24, of 183 Pine Crest Dr., Poplarville.
At about 6 a.m. that morning deputies responded to a report that Stevens was involved in a child molestation incident. An investigation was performed the same day, Lott said.
“After the investigation we found that we had enough to charge him,” Lott said.
Deputies charged Stevens with child molestation the same day, Lott said.