Waterbury, VT – The Vermont Department of Corrections is conducting an internal review following the death of a Vermont inmate at Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Tutwiler, Miss., on Sunday.
Roberto Vargas, 59, was found unresponsive in his cell at 10:42 a.m. on December 13, 2020. Medical staff responded to the unit and called for outside medical assistance. Vargas was pronounced deceased at approximately 11:10 a.m. The cause of death does not appear to be suspicious, nor COVID related.
Staff at TCCF notified Vermont DOC officials Sunday. Vermont DOC in turn notified the Vermont Prisoners’ Rights Office and began the internal review process.
Vermont DOC contracts with CoreCivic’s Mississippi facility to provide supplemental housing for the inmate population. There are currently 194 Vermont inmates housed at TCCF.
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