An accused Massachusetts man of setting fire to the body of his mother was found dead in his cell on Sunday. New York Post reported.
Adam Howe, 34, who had a criminal history, was found dead in the Ash Street Jail in New Bedford, which is part of the Bristol County House of Correction System, at approximately 5:14 p.m. Sunday, the Cape Cod Times reported.
Cops claim he forced wet tissue paper down his throat.
“Mr. Howe clogged his airways with wet toilet paper and suffered a medical emergency,” Bristol County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jonathan Darling said in a statement. “Out of respect for the family, we have no additional comment or detail. That family has been through a lot this weekend. Please keep them in your prayers.”
After cops said they responded to a Wellness Check at Susan Howe’s Cape Cod residence, Howe was taken into police custody. When police arrived, they found her body ablaze on her front lawn at 9:30 p.m. Friday, New York post reported.
Howe had barricaded himself inside his mother’s home as police arrived, leading to the Cape Cod Regional SWAT Team to forcibly extract him from the residence and place him under arrest, authorities said.
Authorities said that Howe was taken to Cape Cod Hospital to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. He was then released by medical staff to be returned to police custody.
He was brought to Ash Street Jail for wellness checks every 15 minutes. Howe was also wearing an outfit that was specifically designed for at-risk prisoners. Mass Live reported. Mass Live reported that he died in a nearby hospital on Sunday, just after 3:00 p.m.
It is not suspected of foul play.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has taken custody of Howe’s body and will conduct an autopsy, Mass Live reported.
Howe’s cause of death had not yet been determined, officials said.