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Two teens die by suicide within days of each other at Cobb County jail

Sheriff Craig Owens is asking for more support for mental health services inside his jail following the deaths of two teenagers.

MARIETTA, Ga. — Editor's note: This story reports on two recent deaths by suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Two teenagers died by apparent suicide within three days of each other in the Cobb County jail, according to authorities.

The Cobb County Sheriff's Office said on June 17, Augustus Green, 19, was found unresponsive in his cell. He was rushed to Kennestone Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Green was in jail on several charges, including aggravated assault since March 25.

No details have been released on the death of William Lopez, 17, who the sheriff's office said died from an apparent suicide on June 20. He had been in jail since January 18 on an armed robbery charge.

Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens sent his condolences to the families in a news release on Wednesday. He also urged increased support for mental health services.

“It breaks my heart that we lost two young men,” he said. "We are leaning even more heavily on our community partners and will seek assistance from the state to both increase our number of close observation beds and to streamline the process for referring detainees to outside service providers so they can get all of the services that will benefit them and aid in preventing suicides."

According to National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), about two in five people who are incarcerated have a history of mental illness. Statistics show suicide is the leading cause of death for jail inmates. 

Inside the Cobb County jail, Sheriff Owens said his staff provides all detainees with 24/7 mental health access. In a news release, Sheriff Owens said his agency recently became the first in Georgia and only "one of two nationally" to implement the latest body camera technology which allows for "two-way communication" between a person who is having a mental health episode and a mental health provider. 

The Cobb County jail has a 32-bed unit that houses individuals who might be having a mental health crisis that puts them under "close observation." The sheriff said it's often at capacity. 

Detainees in this unit have medical watches that monitor their vitals. 

The sheriff's office said Green was not in this unit when he was found unresponsive. No details were released on where Lopez was found in the jail. 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) is investigating both deaths; it's a policy that Owens put in place shortly after taking office following an investigation by 11Alive into inmate deaths at the jail. 

Owens said they are continuing to review policies and seek out programs to provide detainees with the emotional and medical support they need. 

As NAMI for Cobb, we understand the feeling of loss by this tragedy,” said Peter M. Lyons, president of NAMI Cobb. “We intend to continue working very closely with Sheriff Owens to prevent future tragedies because we are aware that our youth are in a mental health epidemic. The data and statistics tell us that. Our children are telling us that through the yearly Department of Education mental health school surveys.”

According to NAMI, 70% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnoseable mental health condition. They added, young people in detention are more likely to suffer from psychoses. 

Friends and loved ones of detainees who have expressed thoughts of suicide or depression can call the Cobb County Adult Detention Center Watch Commander at (770) 499-4212 so that staff can notify medical professionals.

    

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