Kent Police investigate death of RJC inmate
Published 3:29 pm Friday, June 16, 2017
Kent Police continue to investigate the death of a 52-year-old male inmate from the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent after he was transported to the Valley Medical Center in Renton.
Wardell Sims died last Friday at the hospital, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of death is pending investigation, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Sims, of Seattle, had been booked June 15 at the RJC King County jail for a community custody violation, according to a county Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention news release.
As part of the standard review process for jail-related deaths, the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention will work with Public Health–King County to conduct an internal investigation. The Kent Police Department is conducting an independent investigation.
“The case is still being reviewed/investigated,” said Kent Police spokeswoman Melanie Robinson, in a Tuesday email. “It appears thus far that this incident was a medical emergency. I have no additional details to share at this time.”
Sims had been booked nine times in the last year, according to county jail records. Most of his arrests were for investigation of community custody violations.
