2 More Inmates Die of Coronavirus Complications

SOMERS, CT — Two more inmates in the Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) system died Monday of complications from the coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths within the state prison population to five, DOC officials announced.

Due to medical privacy laws, the names of the individuals are not being released.

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A 60-year-old man who transferred to the UConn Health Center on April 20 after testing positive for the virus died early Monday morning. He last entered the correctional system on April 3, 2012 and was serving a 14-year sentence for first-degree burglary. The offender, who was eligible for parole in 2023, also had an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer, DOC officials said.

A 51-year-old man who was transferred to the Northern Correctional Institution’s Medical Isolation Unit on April 24 was taken by ambulance Sunday to an area hospital, and succumbed to his illness Monday morning. He last entered the Connecticut correctional system on June 15, 1992 and was serving a 42 year, six month sentence for murder. His release date had been scheduled for March 2034, according to DOC officials.

DOC Commissioner Rollin Cook said, "This is truly a sad day for our agency. Governor Lamont has long been saying that deaths form the COVID-19 virus are the lagging indicator of the pandemic. I certainly hope these are the last individuals under our care that succumb to this disease. May they rest in peace."