Scioto County Inmate Dead
An inmate from the Scioto County Jail has died at a Columbus hospital while being treated for injuries.
Kevin Bailey, 56, was arrested just after 3 am in the morning on Sunday, May 24. He was involved in an altercation on 5th Street where witnesses said he threatened another man with a weapon. The report by Portsmouth Police officers said it did not appear that the altercation became physical. Officers were able to view multiple videos of the incident to confirm this. Their report does not mention any signs of any injuries to Bailey.
According to his sister, the family was notified the next day that he had been transported via air ambulance to Columbus. She shared disturbing images of the injuries on social media. Family members said they had to make the painful decision to remove him from life support. He passed away on Monday.
The family said they don’t know how the injuries were sustained and that officials haven’t offered a reasonable explanation as to what happened. His sister said that she promised him she would not stop fighting for justice and would not rest until the family knows who is behind his injuries.
According to the Sheriff’s office, Bailey was injured in a scuffle with officers and fell and hit his head on a door. The incident is under investigation by the Ohio BCI.
The jail has come under heavy criticism recently for refusing to take prisoners unless they were charged with serious crimes. A man nearly died after Portsmouth Police were forced to release him from custody. Shortly after the man was released, a woman in the park flagged down a patrol car. She said there was a dead body near the Grant Bridge. According to the police report, the man was not visibly breathing at the time. An officer was able to revive the man.
According to Bailey’s sister, the Ohio Attorney General has been in contact with the family and an autopsy will be performed.
Click here to see an exclusive interview with Karen Skaggs, Bailey’s sister.
