81-year-old in custody at Harris County Jail dies after medical emergency

HOUSTON – The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says an 81-year-old in custody at the Harris County Jail died after suffering a medical emergency.

Phillip Shumate, 81, was booked into jail on September 11 on a charge of aggravated assault of a family member. He suffered a medical emergency at the jail on December 22 and was taken to LBJ Hospital.

Authorities say Shumate was pronounced dead at 5:28 a.m. on December 25.

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“The Houston Police Department is investigating the death in accordance with a state law that requires all jail deaths to be investigated by an outside law enforcement agency. The Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Division is also investigating to determine whether all applicable policies and procedures were followed, which is standard following the death of a person in jail‚” the sheriff’s office said.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine Shumate’s cause of death.