Medical examiner says inmate died of opioid toxicity

DUBLIN, Va. (AP) — Police in Virginia say no charges will be filed in the death of an 18-year-old Radford University student who was found unresponsive in his cell at the New River Valley Regional Jail.
In a news release Tuesday, state police said they have completed their investigation into the death of Aris Eduardo Lobo-Perez, of Culpeper.
State police said that on the night of Sept. 11, 2019, Radford University police responded to a call at a campus facility concerning Lobo-Perez. Police took the college freshman into custody shortly before midnight on a public intoxication charge and brought him to the jail.
The next morning, jail personnel approached Lobo-Perez to offer him breakfast, which he declined, police said. About 30 minutes later, jail personnel found him unresponsive in his cell, state police said.
The state medical examiner’s office said he died of opioid toxicity compounded by asthma, and ruled his death an accident. His mother rejected the finding.
“It was neglect,” Dixiana Perez told the Washington Post in December. She said police, and then jail guards, “should have taken him to the hospital.”
State police said no charges will be filed “in accordance with the findings” of the medical examiner and at the advisement of the City of Radford Commonwealth’s Attorney and Pulaski County Commonwealth’s Attorney.