A woman waiting to be booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center was found dead in a holding cell, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department announced Thursday.
The woman was identified by the sheriff’s department as Leslee Laffoon, 37. According to the sheriff’s department, she was a transient from the Modesto area.
The cause of death has not been determined. The sheriff’s department said Laffoon was not in any altercation with law enforcement. Homicide detectives with the sheriff’s department are conducting an investigation into the death.
Laffoon had been admitted into a hospital on Saturday with complaints of pain all over. She was released on Wednesday and arrested a short time later around 1 p.m. by Stanislaus County probation officers for a parole violation.
Laffoon was taken to the public safety center, given a medical screening, and placed in a holding cell while awaiting booking. One other inmate was in the holding cell with Laffoon, according to the sheriff’s department.
A few hours after her arrest, deputies went to retrieve Laffoon and found her unresponsive. CPR was performed but was unsuccessful and Laffoon was pronounced dead at the scene at about 5:30 p.m.
According to the sheriff’s department, the booking process can take several hours depending on the number of incoming inmates.
Detectives do not believe Laffoon and the other inmate waiting in the holding cell had any kind of altercation.
An autopsy has been conducted but the results will not be available until toxicology results are completed.
To contact Sabra Stafford, e-mail sstafford@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2002.