Mississippi officials are investigating the. death of an inmate found hanged in a county detention center this week.

Lafayette County Coroner Rocky Kennedy confirmed Friday that his office transported the body of a Detention Center inmate.

Kennedy said because of an ongoing state investigation he was unable to release any details, including the identity of the deceased or what day the person was reported dead.

Lafayette County Sheriff Joey East posted the following news release on Facebook Friday:

On Tuesday, January 16, 2023, at approximately 5:37 pm, deputies assigned to the Lafayette County Detention Center, located at 711 Jackson Avenue in Oxford, MS were called to the cell of an unresponsive male inmate. Custody staff and jail medical staff immediately administered life-saving measures. Medical response personnel also responded, assumed life-saving measures, and the inmate was transported Baptist Memorial Hospital. Ultimately, medical personnel pronounced the male inmate deceased at approximately 6:20 PM.

The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office Investigators along with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Department of Corrections Investigators responded and assumed the investigation. The cause of death will later be determined by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office. There were no signs of foul play, but due to the ongoing status of the investigation, no further information will be available by the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office.

Out of respect for the family and the agencies conducting the investigation, this press release was delayed until all notifications were completed.

Any question should be directed to the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations.

Please be in prayer with us for the inmate and his family.

Joey East, Sheriff, Lafayette County

The investigation into the death of the person, believed to be a male, was immediately turned over to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations.

Deaths of incarcerated persons in either a municipal or county facility are routinely referred to state or federal authorities those agencies often receive cooperation from local law enforcement departments, and from the Mississippi Department of Corrections, if the deceased had connections to the prison system or was serving a state sentence at a county facility.