The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has identified the inmate found dead in her cell last week as Caprice Fowler, stating her manner of death was determined to be natural causes.
The 57-year-old from Lompoc was found Monday in her four-person cell while a custody deputy was conducting checks shortly after 5:30 p.m. at the Northern Branch Jail located in Santa Maria.
An autopsy revealed her death was “tragic, but unavoidable,” according to the sheriff’s office, which states the cause of death was acute peritonitis due to a ruptured gastric ulcer.
“In addition to a thorough administrative investigation, the Sheriff’s Office will be continuing to provide transparent information to the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury, who conducts separate reviews of these incidents to further confirm that the best interests of Santa Barbara County community members are being served,” a sheriff’s press release stated.
Fowler was arrested March 19 on a felony no bail arrest warrant related to being prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition, according to the sheriff’s office, which states she was taken into custody two days later following a court appearance for an additional felony animal cruelty charge.
She was reportedly one of three people being housed in the cell. The sheriff’s office says that only one other person was in the cell when Fowler was found. Life-saving measures were performed but were unsuccessful.
This is the first inmate death at the Northern Branch Jail this year, according to the sheriff's office.
