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LCSO: No foul play found after inmate dies inside Leon County cell

Posted at 4:34 PM, Dec 13, 2019
and last updated 2020-01-31 16:15:50-05

LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — A medical examiner has determined that the inmate who died after being found unresponsive in her cell passed away from natural causes.

The Leon County Sheriff's office announced Friday that the medical examiner had released the final report in the investigation into 36-year-old Erica K. Portillo's death.

The cause of death was determined to be of natural causes and no foul play was found.

Portilio, an inmate in the Leon County Detention Facility, was found unresponsive inside her cell in mid-December during a routine check of the pod.

Deputies say an ambulance was called to transfer Portillo to a local hospital.

According to investigators, Portillo was last checked by staff in her cell around 11:55 p.m. the night before. Deputies say she didn't seem to be in distress at that time.

They say Portillo was pronounced dead a few days after she was found.

Portillo was arrested by the Tallahassee Police Department on Nov. 27 and booked into the Leon County Detention Facility. She was charged with battery and violation of pretrial release condition.

In 2019, another woman, 37-year-old Amanda Mitchell, died after being found unresponsive on the floor of her cell. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating Mitchell's death.