2nd Alameda Sheriff's Employee Dies From Coronavirus
ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA — An Alameda County sheriff's employee died from coronavirus complications Friday evening, the Sheriff's Office said, less than one day after Deputy Oscar Rocha lost his own fight with COVID-19.
The employee who died Friday, who the department has not named, was a non-sworn staff member of the agency, the sheriff's office said. A sheriff's spokesman told Patch Saturday that more information would be shared after the office speaks with the employee's family.
It is with great sadness we can confirm that a professional non-sworn staff member of our agency has passed away this evening due to COVID-19 complications. This is our second employee to pass away in the past 24 hours due to COVID-19 . We will put out further info later.
— Alameda County Sheriff (@ACSOSheriffs) July 25, 2020
The department was already in mourning following the death of Rocha, 56, on Thursday. Rocha — a nearly 25-year veteran of the sheriff's office — was remembered as a hardworking family man who dedicated his life to community service as an Alameda County Sheriff's deputy.
The California High School graduate married high school sweetheart Maureen Ennor Rocha, who previously said she was only able to see him once during the first two weeks of his hospitalization at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek. Rocha was on a ventilator and in critical condition as of last week.
He also leaves behind an adult son, adult stepchildren and parents.
Rocha's death is being treated as a line-of-duty death because he's believed to have fallen ill while working in the booking area of Santa Rita Jail during the facility's first outbreak. Days after the sheriff's office told the public that a deputy was seriously ill, a spike of 101 Santa Rita Jail inmates tested positive for COVID-19.
Courtney Teague contributed reporting.
Full coronavirus coverage: Coronavirus In California: What To Know
This article originally appeared on the Alameda Patch
