Cobb jail inmate commits suicide in third death in custody this month
May 19—An inmate at the Cobb County jail committed suicide Thursday morning, the sheriff's office confirmed, despite being under suicide watch.
Nicole Smith died at 7:54 a.m. Thursday at a local hospital after being found in her cell, the sheriff's office said. Though deputies were performing regular checks on her every 15 minutes, she was able to commit suicide.
Sheriff's office spokesperson Sgt. Jeremy Blake said Smith was enrolled in a mental health support program specializing in suicide prevention. Her family has been notified.
Last November, Sheriff Craig Owens rolled out a 24/7 psychiatric care program, billed as a first-of-its-kind initiative.
"Unfortunately, our detention center — and thousands of detention centers across the country — have become de facto mental health hospitals," Owens said in a news release announcing the death. "I will be convening local leaders, including those who just toured the facility, to help identify solutions and hopefully find treatment options outside of incarceration."
The sheriff's office will conduct its own investigation and ask the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to do the same.
Smith is the sixth inmate to die in custody since Owens took office in January 2021 and the third this year.
