LBPD Says 33-Yr Old LB Man, Arrested/Booked on Drug Charge, Attempts Suicide Less Than Two Hours After Being Placed in LB Jail Cell; He Dies At LB Hospital

(January 3, 2012) -- LBPD says a 33 year old LB man attempted to commit suicide less than two hours after being placed in a LB jail cell after being booked and arrested Dec. 30 on an unspecified drug charge...and despite life saving efforts on discovery and at a hospital (ICU) was pronounced dead on Jan. 1.

In a release issued at the end of the business day Jan. 3 (the first business day after the New Year's weekend), LBPD says that Andrew Dodson, 33, was "booked and processed" without incident on December 30 and placed into a jail cell at approximately 9:05 p.m...and by 10:53 p.m. when a jail detention officer made rounds, Dodson, who was alone at the time, was "hanging from the jail cell bars by his sweatpants."

[LBPD release text] He was immediately freed from the bars and jail staff, including a registered nurse who is staffed in the facility, began life-saving efforts without delay. Long Beach Fire Department paramedics responded and took over-life saving efforts while transporting him to a local hospital. He was placed in ICU and listed in critical condition, where he remained until he was pronounced deceased on January 1, 2012.

Homicide detectives were notified and responded to the jail to conduct an investigation once Dodson was found, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office is also conducting an investigation into the incident to determine the official cause of death, which is standard procedure with in-custody deaths.

LBPD asks anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact Homicide Detectives Scott Lasch and Donald Goodman at (562) 570-7244.