The coroner has identified a woman, who was being held in custody for allegedly causing traumatic injuries to a baby, that died after she was found unresponsive in her Lake County Jail cell.
An autopsy performed Monday on Khayla Evans, 24, of Grand Prairie, Texas, showed she had underly medical conditions and no significant injuries on her body, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
A Lake County correctional officer was conducting routine rounds in the jail’s medical pod around 2:30 p.m. Friday.
The correctional officer observed Evans on the bed of the cell with her eyes closed, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief.
The officer noticed the woman’s chest was not rising and immediately opened the cell’s door.
Evans was determined to be unresponsive and did not have a pulse.
The corrections officer initiated a medical emergency response and called for an ambulance.
Correctional officers performed CPR and used an Automated External Defibrillator on the woman until paramedics arrived.
Evans was transported to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan where she was pronounced dead.
Court records show the woman had been in custody since July 1 on charges of aggravated battery to a child, reckless conduct causing great bodily harm, child endangerment and two counts of domestic battery.
Prosecutors said at a bond hearing in early July that Evans struck an infant girl in the face and allowed her to fall off a counter at a Winthrop Harbor home.
The infant was hospitalized with severe trauma and was being monitored for a concussion, hearing loss and other injuries.
Evans told the child’s mother that she intentionally struck the child in the face and then left the child on a counter so that the child could fall off of it, prosecutors said.
Evans was recently found unfit to stand trial and the jail was waiting for space to become available at the Illinois Department of Human Services so she could be transferred for fitness restoration treatment, Covelli said.
While awaiting transport, the woman was assigned to a single-inmate cell pod.
The inmate’s cell door was closed at the time and there were no other inmates in the vicinity, Covelli said.
Rounds were conducted at least 30 minutes prior to the incident and Evans appeared “okay” at the time.
Covelli said there did not appear to be any suspicious marks or injuries on the woman’s body.
Banek said a final cause and manner of death are pending toxicology and further microbiology testing.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force is conducting an independent investigation.