A woman died in state custody early Wednesday morning. Staff at the Anchorage Correctional Complex found 48-year-old Laurel Christine Hunter unresponsive in her cell at 2:27 AM. Medical staff attempted life saving measures while awaiting emergency medical responders. She was pronounced deceased at the hospital at 3:10 AM.
Hunter was booked into the Anchorage facility on July 4 for driving while intoxicated. She was being monitored and treated for an acute medical condition.
Between security and medical checks, staff looked in on her approximately every hour, said DOC spokesperson Corey Allen-Young. No foul play is suspected. Allen-Young said the department is investigating to see if anything could have been done to prevent her death.
“There’s an investigation ongoing with the Alaska State Troopers and the Medical Examiner’s Office,” which is standard practice, “but also with the DOC’s Professional Conduct Unit. And there will be more information that comes out on that.”
This is the sixth death of person in custody at a Department of Corrections facility this year.
Anne Hillman is the healthy communities editor at Alaska Public Media and a host of Hometown, Alaska. Reach her at ahillman@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Anne here.
