OKLAHOMA CITY — Lashala Tauibee-Pratt didn’t even make it to her 5th day in the Oklahoma County Detention Center before dying in a cell there.
The 33-year-old was booked into the jail on Friday by Oklahoma City Police.
According to Mark Opgrande, spokesperson for the jail, “At approximately 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, while distributing meals, a Detention Officer discovered detainee Lashala Taulbee-Pratt unresponsive in her assigned cell.”
Medical staff were alerted and came to the floor to attempt life-saving measures.
EMSA and the Oklahoma City Fire Department also were called and continued efforts to save the detainee’s life.
“However, the attempts to revive her were unsuccessful,” said Opgrande.
Turn Key Health is the contractor for all medical and mental health services in the Oklahoma County Jail and Oklahoma State Representative Jon Echols is the co-founder and president.
As with any death in the jail, the State Medical Examiner’s Office will make a final determination as to the cause of death.
Under new protocols, all deaths are investigated as homicides until a final determination is made.
Brett is the founder, and editor in chief of Oklahoma City Free Press. He continues to contribute reporting and photography to the efforts of the publication as well as leadership in developing support.
