Family searching for answers after man dies in Southern California jail
A family is seeking answers from law enforcement following the death of one of their loved ones at a jail in Los Angeles County.
Relatives of the man, identified as 43-year-old Eugene Youngblood, held a news conference Wednesday morning with their attorney to shed light on what they say is an unexplained death.
On June 5, Youngblood was arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies for an alleged low-level misdemeanor and was transported to the Lancaster Jail. According to the family’s lawyer, the 43-year-old was just to receive a citation and then be released.
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“Mr. Youngblood entered detention as a healthy young man in no apparent distress,” attorney Brad Gage said in a release. “It is alleged that he was to be cited and released, which means he had a low-level misdemeanor such as possession of small quantities of drugs.”
The Sheriff’s Department later confirmed that Youngblood was arrested for the alleged possession of narcotics for sale.
About four hours after he was booked into jail, Youngblood was found unresponsive in his cell.
Eugene Youngblood as seen in an undated photo. (Youngblood Family) Eugene Youngblood as seen in an undated photo. (Youngblood Family) Eugene Youngblood as seen in an undated photo. (Youngblood Family) Eugene Youngblood as seen in an undated photo. (Youngblood Family)
Gage claims that LASD has not provided him with any information or evidence – including security video, bodycam footage or investigative documents – since Youngblood’s death.
“There are a lot of troubling questions that we need to have answers to and we don’t have them yet,” Gage said Wednesday. “And that’s why we are here: to seek justice, seek answers and hold the responsible people accountable.”
LASD also failed to protect Youngblood and deputies did not see to his medical needs, Gage added, allowing him to die without any justification or explanation. He has filed a Governmental Claim Notice, a precursor to a possible lawsuit.
Speaking at the press conference on Wednesday, Youngblood’s sister Gina said she believes there are details surrounding her brother’s death that haven’t been revealed.
“From the time of his initial arrest to the time of his death, I believe [LASD] deviated from protocol,” she said.
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However, when it’s all said and done, the family just wants answers and justice for the man they say embodied the word “love.”
“I just want justice for my uncle…I really want to know what happened,” one of Youngblood’s nieces said at Wednesday’s press conference. “He stayed with me, and I was told that he was getting released.”
“My uncle was loved…to know Eugene Youngblood is to know love,” another family member, Yasmine Nichols, said. “He was always there for us every time we needed him…I miss him.”
In a statement provided to KTLA’s Kareen Wynter, the Sheriff’s Department said it “has not officially received this claim but takes every in-custody death seriously and strives to make every effort possible to prevent similar deaths in the future.”
“Inmate Youngblood’s cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner – Coroner,” the statement said. “The autopsy is pending. To date, Investigators have found no evidence of force used during Inmate Youngblood’s arrest, nor during his incarceration at Lancaster Station jail. Investigators found no signs of trauma on Inmate Youngblood at the scene. Body worn camera footage is being reviewed by investigators. Personal property and evidence were collected in furtherance of the investigation, which remains ongoing.”
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