San Diego County officials have released the medical examiner’s findings in the death of 35-year-old Steven Curren, who died after spending roughly a day in jail. Curren was arrested Aug. 29 on vehicle-theft and possession-of-stolen-property charges and was found unresponsive the next afternoon. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. The county Medical Examiner ruled the death natural, citing complications of hypertensive cardiovascular disease in the setting of a hypoplastic right kidney, with asthma, chronic ethanol use and obesity listed as contributing conditions.
Medical Examiner Rules Death Natural
In a department update reported by FOX 5 San Diego, the Medical Examiner said Curren died “due to complications of hypertensive cardiovascular disease in the setting of a hypoplastic right kidney” and classified the manner of death as natural. According to the report, the examiner also listed asthma, chronic alcohol use and obesity as contributing conditions, painting a picture of serious underlying health issues that collided inside the jail.
Deputies, Medics Responded After Inmates Raised The Alarm
According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, several incarcerated people alerted deputies at about 3:08 PM on Aug. 30 that Curren was in medical distress. Deputies found him unresponsive, called 9-1-1 and began life-saving measures until paramedics arrived. Curren was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead at about 4:31 PM, the department said.
Context: San Diego’s In-Custody Death Numbers
Data reported by the Times of San Diego show ten people have died while in sheriff’s custody this year, with the cause of death still under review in a couple of those cases. The county has faced long-running scrutiny over its jail deaths. A 2022 report from the California State Auditor found deficiencies in medical care and safety checks that likely contributed to an elevated death rate…