Family of man who died in prison hours after his arrest wants answers

Four hours after Eugene Wesley Youngblood was arrested on drug charges earlier this month, the 42-year-old man was found dead in the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station jail.

Now his family is searching for answers and says Youngblood was a healthy man with no medical problems. When he was taken into custody, his family was told he would be cited and released within hours.

Instead, Youngblood died in his prison cell and his family says authorities have not provided any answers as to what happened.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that the death is still under investigation and that investigators have not yet found evidence that officers used force during Youngblood’s arrest or while he was in custody.

“The Department thoroughly investigates each death in custody for policy and procedure issues as well as assessment of care,” the statement said.

On Tuesday, an attorney for the family filed suit against the county, saying sheriff’s officials ignored the family’s requests for bodycam videos, police reports and other information to find out what happened to Youngblood while he was in custody. The lawsuit does not specify a dollar amount, but says the family is seeking “general, special and punitive damages.”

Brad Gage, an attorney representing the family, said family members have also learned disturbing details, including claims that Youngblood had bruising on his face at the time of his death.

“He came to Lancaster Prison as a perfectly healthy young man and was dead about four hours later,” Gage said. “We don’t know why he was dead.”

According to the Sheriff’s Department, a final autopsy report is still pending.

According to department records, Youngblood was arrested on June 5 at around 5:30 p.m.

Vanessa Larry, Youngblood’s niece, said during a news conference Wednesday that she called the sheriff’s station around 9:30 p.m. that day and asked if she could pick up Youngblood’s belongings.

However, the officer she spoke to told her that there was no need for her to come to the station because her uncle was in custody for a misdemeanor and would likely be summoned and released.

“He was already dead,” she said. “I found out the next day. They didn’t even let me see his body. I just want justice for my uncle.”

Gage and family members said Youngblood’s family was told he was arrested on a drug charge.

However, sheriff’s online records show that Youngblood has been charged with a serious crime.

In a statement, the agency said Youngblood was arrested on suspicion of possession of narcotics for sale.

Youngblood was found unconscious in his bunk at the Lancaster Jail by a deputy during a routine security check, according to the sheriff’s statement, and was given two doses of naloxone until Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics arrived. Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of a possible overdose.

According to sheriff’s records, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sheriff’s officials said an autopsy is pending, but there were no signs of injury or violence on Youngblood at the jail.

Gage and his family said there was no indication Youngblood was taken to a hospital.

“To our knowledge, he was taken from the prison to the morgue,” Gage said.

Larry said she was never given a reason why her uncle was given naloxone.

Gage also said that family members never saw Youngblood take drugs and that they were concerned about the bruising on his face, which family members saw when they identified his body, “as if he had been punched in the face.”

“He shouldn’t be dead at this point,” Youngblood’s sister Gina Youngblood said during the press conference Wednesday morning. “We just want answers.”

Family members said Youngblood was also wearing jewelry and had a significant amount of cash on him when he left Larry’s house that day.

When they found his belongings, the jewelry was apparently missing and there was less than two dollars in cash left.

“I know he had more money because I saw him before he left the house,” Larry said.

Sheriff’s officials said personal property and evidence have been collected in connection with the investigation, which is ongoing.

Gage said the family hopes to obtain footage and reports from officers’ body cameras, as well as jail surveillance video, to shed light on what happened to Youngblood that day.

“When you don’t have answers, it seems like you don’t get justice,” he said, “and the family can’t find peace.”