Brooklyn family demands answers after inmate is found 'unwell,' dies in Rikers Island custody
The Department of Corrections said 32-year-old Aramis Furse was found “unwell” in his jail cell around 2 a.m. on Sunday. He died at a hospital about an hour later.
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A Brooklyn family is demanding answers after their loved one died while in custody at Rikers Island.
The Department of Corrections said 32-year-old Aramis Furse was found “unwell” in his jail cell around 2 a.m. on Sunday. He died at a hospital about an hour later.
“If you found him ‘unwell,’ then why were we not contacted?...We could’ve been en route to the hospital?” said William Furse, the victim’s father. “[The DOC] could’ve had the decency to just inform us of his transportation.”
The family said they spent hours at the hospital with unanswered questions after tracking Furse down.
“We happened to find out because someone called us that they had seen it on the news,” said the father.
As of Tuesday, the family said they had not heard from the DOC.
RELATED: Inmate from Brooklyn dies at Rikers Island; 13th inmate death this year
According to court documents, Furse was arrested earlier this year on robbery, burglary and criminal mischief charges. Those same documents showed Furse was being held on a $45,000 bail or $150,000 bond. He was due in court this week.
The family said they were trying to get Furse into a drug treatment program, but he was otherwise healthy and in good spirits, known for being soft-spoken and respectful.
“Even though the condition surrounding him, he was very optimistic,” said Furse’s father.
The Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defenders said Furse is “at least the 14th person to die in New York City this year alone at Rikers Island or immediately upon release from DOC custody.”
As of Tuesday night, the medical examiner’s office was still determining the official cause of death.
NYC Correction Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie wrote in a statement, "The Department is mourning the tragic death of an individual in our custody. We extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family. The safety of everyone in our care is always our foremost concern, and we will fully investigate this tragedy."
