Inmate dies after being found unresponsive in Santa Barbara County Jail cell

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office reported that an inmate passed away Friday after being found unresponsive in his cell.

Around 2:30 p.m., custody staff at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail were performing routine security checks when they reportedly found 30-year-old Michael Anthony Remijio unconscious while hanging from a bed sheet that was tied into a ligature in his cell.

Staff immediately provided aid and called for medical staff and paramedics to help treat Remijio.

Remijio was then transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where he passed away from his injuries about an hour later.

The sheriff's office has notified the inmate's next of kin of his passing.

Deputies said, while this appears to be a suicide, the sheriff's office is conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Remijio's death, including determining the exact cause of death.

Remijio had been booked into the county jail on Thursday, Feb. 18, around 8:53 p.m. for Ventura County warrant issued for failing to appear on charges of driving on a suspended license and driving under the influence.