Inmate Dies After Day in Jail

Brenda Lee Cochran, a 42-year-old female inmate at the Rappahannock Regional Jail was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive on May 3. She had been in jail for less than 24 hours when she died. 

According to regional jail superintendent Joe Higgs, Cochran had been brought into the jail at 5:42 p.m. on May 2 after being arrested in Prince William County for charges relating to the distribution of schedule I and II narcotics. While Cochran was in the intake and processing area of the jail, Cochran developed a nosebleed and was placed in a medical observation cell. The next day, May 3, Cochran was alert and active, even making a supervised telephone call at 3:30 p.m. Shortly before meal time, at 4:30 p.m., Cochran was observed moving around in her cell by a prison officer. However, less than 10 minutes later at 4:38, Cochran was found unresponsive in her cell by staff serving the evening meal. CPR was performed on Cochran, first by a prison nurse, then by the rescue personnel who transported Cochran to Stafford Hospital Center where she was pronounced dead at 5:36 p.m.

Higgs says that his staff was unaware of any health issues beyond her weight. Cochran stood at 5'2" tall and weighed 300 pounds. 

"I wouldn't consider her to be in excellent health, but we never had time to evaluate her health issues," said Higgs, who also reported that Cochran did not raise any medical issues with staff at the jail other than the nosebleed. 

A press release issued by Bill Kennedy, public information officer for the Stafford County Sheriff's Office says that deputies were alerted of the death around 5:45 p.m. By that point Cochran had been transported to the Stafford Hospital Center by the Stafford Fire and Rescue Department. 

According to an investigation carried out by the Stafford County Sheriff's Office, the Cochran was found in her cell not breathing, despite having been checked on a few minutes prior to her apparent death. Staff at the jail quickly began to administer CPR, continuing until rescue units arrived on scene. Rescue personnel continued to administer CPR throughout the trip to the hospital, where Cochran was pronounced dead. 

Kennedy, in an interview, said that staff at the jail immediately called rescue services after finding Cochran unresponsive. 

Kennedy says that the preliminary indication is that the Cochran died of natural causes. The body has been turned over to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Richmond for an autopsy, a standard procedure says Kennedy.

According to a report by Keith Epps in the Freelance Star, Cochran was wanted on a warrant after failing to appear at a court hearing related to an indictment handed down last July in Stafford County for distribution of controlled substances.

This is a developing story. Fredericksburg Patch is attempting to learn more details. New information will be synthesized into this article as it is learned. Notes regarding the updates will appear in the comment section below.