Waterbury, VT – The Vermont Department of Corrections is conducting an internal review, to include an administrative and medical review, following the death of an incarcerated individual at Northeast Correctional Complex (NECC) in St. Johnsbury on Sunday.
Michael Dupont, 36, of Barre City, was found in his cell by Vermont DOC staff the afternoon of December 20, 2020. Additional correctional and medical staff responded to the scene, began life-saving efforts, and called for outside medical assistance. EMS arrived and attempted to revive Mr. Dupont. He was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The official cause of death will be determined by the Vermont State Medical Examiner, but at this time it is a suspected death by suicide.
Vermont DOC notified Vermont State Police and the Prisoners’ Rights Office per state law and protocol. They will be conducting separate investigations into the death in conjunction with the Vermont DOC administrative and medical reviews.
The Vermont DOC Peer Support Team is working with the staff involved in trying to revive Mr. Dupont.
Dupont was lodged at NECC on December 17 and placed in intake quarantine per Vermont DOC COVID mitigation protocol.
This is the second act of self harm in Vermont DOC custody this year. The first, which occurred in July, was not fatal.
Vermont DOC Commissioner Jim Baker provided a media update on Monday afternoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDYdEiKBbKo&feature=youtu.be
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