Shock death of 16-year-old in UK youth jail sparks investigation and concern
A 16-year-old inmate at a Young Offender Institute in southwest London has died after being rushed to hospital.
The teenage boy was found unresponsive in his cell at Feltham Young Offender Institute on Monday.
He was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, but was pronounced dead just hours later.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said the death was being treated as "unexpected".
Scotland Yard said: "On Tuesday, 21 April at 00:05 hrs, police were notified by staff at Feltham Prison and Young Offender Institute about the death of a boy who had been found unresponsive and later died in hospital.
"The London Ambulance Service was called at around 21:30 hrs on Monday, 20 April and treated the boy, aged 16, before taking him to hospital. He sadly died at 23:43 hrs.
"At this stage, the death is being treated as unexpected and enquiries remain ongoing.
"A post-mortem examination will take place in due course."
A Youth Custody Service spokesperson said: “We were saddened to hear of the death of a child from YOI Feltham, who died in hospital on Monday 20 April, and our thoughts are with their friends and family.
“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
According to a report last year, teenagers in Feltham Young Offender Institution were locked in their cells for as long as 22 hours a day.
Members of the prison’s Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) also found that an increasing number of inmates were making and carrying weapons. A lack of staffing meant they also had little access to education.
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