An 18-year-old inmate who was waiting to see a psychiatrist hanged himself in his cell on Riker’s Island on Wednesday, officials said.
Kenan Davis, arrested Friday for a parole violation, was found lying on the ground after hanging himself in a cell.
The 18-year-old had no history of suicide attempts or signs of depression that would have prompted his transfer to a psychiatric unit, according to officials briefed on his death.
Davis was being held in a general population unit for young adults, officials said.
A social worker who interviewed Davis on Monday did not report any psychiatric red flags.
But the teen did request to speak to a psychiatrist because he was depressed and upset about being jailed, the officials said.
The suicide is the second this year at Rikers, the city’s largest jail.
Fabian Cruz, who was mentally ill, hanged himself on New Year’s Day.
Cruz should have been on suicide watch, but administrators never implemented the order.
Davis’ suicide came the same day the city’s Department of Investigation released a scathing report on Corizon Health Inc., the private company contracted to manage psychiatric care at Rikers.
DOI found the company failed to adequately care for patients, including prematurely removing inmates from court-ordered suicide watch and failure to monitor inmates with serious mental illness.
Davis’ family could not be reached for comment.
Mayor de Blasio on Wednesday said the city would not renew its contract with the company when it expires at the end of the year.
With News Wire Services
