25-year-old female inmate found dead in Jasper Co. jail

A female inmate has died at the Jasper County Detention Center in Ridgeland, officials say, and the incident is under investigation.

The 25-year-old inmate died in the detention center on Wednesday, July 1, according to a press release from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office. An internal investigation of the death is underway by JCSO, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division will also conduct an independent investigation, the release said.

The inmate was booked on June 29. The following day, detention center staff observed behavior that indicated she may harm herself, the release said. She was transported to Coastal Carolina Medical Center for evaluation, where she was medically cleared and released back into custody. She was placed in a video-monitored cell and received routine welfare checks every hour, according to the press release. 

She was last seen at 7:18 p.m. on July 1. Detention center staff discovered her unresponsive during a welfare check, and Jasper County EMS pronounced her deceased shortly after at 8:01 p.m. The preliminary autopsy report found no conclusive cause of death, according to the press release. JCSO said it is awaiting the results of a toxicology test. 

JCSO has not released the inmate’s name or the charges against her. JCSO will not release additional information until the investigations conclude, according to the press release. 

The detention center is operated by JCSO. It took over leadership in January 2026, according to previous Island Packet reporting. The decision came after Jasper County determined the detention center was “not meeting required operational standards.” The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office does not operate the Beaufort County Detention Center.