Cuyahoga County Investigating Eighth Jail Inmate To Die In Custody In 2018

According to a county spokesperson, 27-year old Brenden Kiekisz attempted suicide on Thursday, December 27. He was transported to MetroHealth Medical Center where he died three days later.

Kiekisz was taken into custody on Christmas Day and appeared in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas court Thursday for a parole violation hearing.

Judge Michael P. Donnelly found Kiekisz not in violation and ordered him transferred to Highland Springs, an in-patient treatment facility. 

But according to the county, Kiekisz returned to jail and attempted suicide later that day. The coroner has not determined a cause of death.

The county launched an investigation into the incident on Thursday.

A U.S. Marshals report investigating conditions in the county jail last month said 55 inmates attempted suicides in the past 12 months.