The third inmate death at Oahu Community Correctional Center in two months has prompted state Public Safety Director Ted Sakai to say "we have a crisis on our hands."
Sakai made the comment in an email to Senate Public Safety Chairman Will Espero Wednesday after an inmate was found dead in his cell Tuesday, the second death in the holding unit in a week.
The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on Mark Davis Jr. but deferred the cause of death Wednesday pending further tests.
Davis was acquitted by reason of insanity in the rape and murder of a 6-year-old girl nearly a decade ago and was awaiting trial for allegedly assaulting a mental health worker.
The death was the third at the correctional center and the fourth in the prison system in two months.
Davis, 25, was found dead in his cell at 4:30 p.m. by health workers bringing him his medication.
"He was unresponsive," said Toni Schwartz, Department of Public Safety spokeswoman. She said it is unknown how long he had been dead.
The health workers called corrections officers, who began CPR until Emergency Medical Services crews took over, she said. Davis was alone in the cell.
There were no obvious signs of foul play or suicide, Schwartz said.
When he was 14, Davis beat and raped Kauilani Tadeo, 6, near her family’s Puna home on Sept. 27, 2001. She died from a blow to her head.
In 2005 in Circuit Court on Hawaii island, Davis was acquitted of the murder and rape charges by reason of insanity and committed to the Hawaii State Hospital.
Davis escaped from the Kaneohe hospital on May 2011. He was found in a canal near a shopping center at Temple Valley. He was charged with escape but was acquitted by reason of insanity and returned to the hospital.
Davis was at the Kalihi prison facility awaiting trial for allegedly assaulting a hospital staff member.
On April 29, Ikaika Andrade committed suicide while he was at the correctional center. He had pleaded no contest to second-degree assault for stabbing another Waianae High School student. The medical examiner’s office said Andrade hanged himself.
The third death at the center was Cyrl Chung, allegedly killed by his cellmate on March 9.
At the Halawa Correctional Facility, Darius Puni-Mau killed himself April 8, Schwartz said.
In October, Puni-Mau escaped from state custody while at Circuit Court for a probation revocation hearing. He was free for a day before he was recaptured.
In the email to Espero, Sakai said he met with the prison operations and health care staff members Wednesday to review policies and programs for the mentally ill. Sakai recently ordered more frequent and thorough reviews of inmates placed in segregation units at all facilities, and frequent regular observations and visits to such inmates.
He said he is also preparing bid solicitations for an expert to review the department’s policies and practices and to recommend improvements.
