OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528 / www.oig.dhs.gov

The Office of Inspector General Completes Joint Investigation of an
ICE Detainee Who Died at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center in
Youngstown, OH.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General
(OIG); the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of
Professional Responsibility (OPR); and the ICE Health Service Corps
jointly investigated the death of an ICE detainee that occurred at the
Northeast Ohio Correctional Center (NEOCC) in Youngstown, OH.
An autopsy by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office
determined the cause of death to be hanging. The Mahoning County
Coroner’s Office determined the manner of death to be suicide.
As part of this joint investigation, the investigative team interviewed
NEOCC facility staff and medical staff. We also reviewed the autopsy
report, coroner’s report, medical records, incident report, and relevant
policies and procedures.
The joint investigation did not identify any criminal violations. However,
ICE OPR External Reviews and Analysis Unit (ERAU) determined the
NEOCC failed to comply with four requirements of the ICE PerformanceBased National Detention Standards 2011 (PBNDS). The areas of noncompliance pertained to significant self-harm/suicide
prevention/intervention, detention files, admission/release and custody
classification system. The ERAU also noted five areas of concern
regarding the individual’s medical care, safety, and security at the
NEOCC, although they were not violations of the PBNDS.