Woman held at Santa Rita Jail dies 9 days after being found unresponsive, deputies say

By Tim Fang

An Oakland woman who was arrested and held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin died several days after she was found unresponsive in her cell, authorities said.

According to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, 36-year-old Jessica Watson was arrested by the Hayward Police Department on outstanding warrants for domestic violence and driving under the influence. Watson was booked into jail in the early morning hours of Oct. 10.

Shortly after 8:35 p.m. on Oct. 13 deputies performing a welfare check found Watson seated on the lower bunk of her cell, but she didn’t respond. Deputies entered her cell and found “what appeared to be a ligature” around her neck.

After finding her unresponsive, deputies performed life-saving measures and medical staff at the jail were called to render medical aid. Emergency medical services also responded.

While Watson had a pulse, she remained unresponsive and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The following day, Watson was released from custody on her own recognizance.

Watson was pronounced dead by medical staff at the hospital on the night of Oct. 22. The circumstances surrounding Watson’s death are under investigation and additional details were not immediately available.

In a statement, the sheriff’s office said Watson’s official cause of death will be determined by a forensic pathologist following an autopsy and any necessary toxicology tests.

Deputies said the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has been notified, and Watson’s death will be reported to the California Attorney General’s Office.