Inmate dies of cardiac arrest
July 2, 2004
A 46 year old inmate died June 30th after going into cardiac arrest in a medical observation cell.
Larry J. Smith was serving a 50 day sentence on a charge of failure to make a court appearance.
Smith at about 9:40AM had complained about chest pains to the jail's nurse Carthy Arnold,RN and she ran an EKG on Smith and faxed it the jail's doctor.
After being instructed by the doctor to give Smith nitro tabs Arnold entered the medical observation cell and found Smith in full cardiac arrest. Arnold and deputies Eric Augustus and Bill Adams started CPR immediately.
Medics from The Paducah Fire Department and Mercy Ambulance arrived at the jail minutes later and continued to provide oxygen, CPR and defibrillation. After working on Smith for more than 20 minutes in the observation cell Smith was transported to Western Baptist Hospital where he was pronounced dead about 15 minutes after his arrival.. Smith had been in jail for 33 days and his medical screening form gave no indication of heart problems. He was not on any medication while in the jail.
Coroner Dan Sims said the preliminary autopsy report shows Smith died from heart related natural causes. Smith's death is the third from natural casues since the jail opened 14 years ago.
Correctional Healthcare Consultaant Gene Baldwin was in the jail on a monthly visit when this incident occurred and made this statement about his observations.
Click here for statement.