File Photo – Lake County Jail | Photo: Google Street View

Officials say a 53-year-old man who was being held at the Lake County Jail in Waukegan was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead Tuesday evening.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said a Lake County Jail inmate was found unresponsive in his jail cell around 9:35 p.m. Tuesday.

The inmate, a 53-year-old Zion man, was remanded to the Lake County Jail on Monday for a drug-related charge.

Covelli said the man had a number of health-related issues and was assigned to be monitored in the “1 East” cellblock of the jail.

The inmate was assigned a double-inmate cell but he did not have a cellmate.

The man was alert when he was seen by the jail’s medical care provider nurse for a prescription drug pass at 8:31 p.m.

A prescription drug pass is when inmates are provided with their prescribed medications by medical professionals.

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Covelli said that following the prescription drug pass, corrections officer rounds were conducted at least every 30 minutes.

A corrections officer saw the inmate unresponsive in his cell at 9:34 p.m.

The corrections officer called a medical emergency on his portable radio and medical staff responded to attempt lifesaving efforts, Covelli said.

The Waukegan Fire Department was also called to the scene. A lengthy attempt to save the man’s life ensued.

Paramedics contacted the hospital and a doctor pronounced the man dead.

The inmate previously reported he had terminal underlying health conditions, Covelli said.

Covelli said there did not appear to be any suspicious marks or injuries on the inmate’s body but an autopsy will be conducted by the Lake County Coroner’s Office.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force to conduct an independent investigation in accordance with protocol.

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The coroner’s office has not yet publicly identified the man.