Woman is sixth inmate to die in Oklahoma County jail in 2021

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A 65-year-old woman has died in the Oklahoma County jail, becoming the sixth inmate to die at the lockup this year, a jail official said Wednesday.

Christa Sullivan suffered undisclosed health issues and was under suicide watch when jail staff saw her arm go limp Tuesday night and called medical personnel, who pronounced her dead, according to jail spokesman Mac Mullings.

Mullings said Sullivan had previously been hospitalized for “a number of physical incidents” and was alone in the cell when she went limp.

Sullivan’s body was sent to the state medical examiner to determine the cause of death.

Previous deaths at the jail this year include a man who was fatally shot by police in March while the inmate held a knife to the neck of a jailer who had been beaten and stabbed by several inmates. In January, a 40-year-old inmate was found beaten to death inside his cell, and his cellmate has been charged with first-degree murder in the case.

Oversight of the jail was transferred last year from the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office to a nine-member jail trust.