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A man died while in custody of the Harrison County, Indiana jail

The back of an ambulance.
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A man was found dead Thursday morning in his cell in the Harrison County Jail, hours after he was booked in. Autopsy and toxicology results are pending.

Joshua Dale Kepley was found dead in his cell Thursday morning. He was arrested Wednesday after police who treated him for an overdose learned he had outstanding warrants. Police say Kepley was treated at a local hospital and cleared to go to jail.

Indiana State Police said, in a news release, corrections officers found Kepley unresponsive in his communal cell when they delivered breakfast around 6 a.m. Thursday.

He was given emergency aid and pronounced dead at the scene.

According to police, Kepley was arrested Wednesday after first responders treated him for an overdose. Harrison County Sheriff Nick Smith said he was given two doses of naloxone — an opioid overdose antidote — which revived him.

Smith said Kepley refused further medical attention, but when police discovered he had outstanding warrants they arrested him and took him to get checked out at Harrison County Hospital. Smith said Kepley was there around two hours and was medically cleared to go to jail.

Kepley was also preliminarily charged with neglect of a dependent.

Smith said he is ready for more answers on what caused the man’s death to be able to tell his family. He said Kepley did not have any medical complaints while at the jail.

Autopsy and toxicology results are pending.

Coverage of Southern Indiana is funded, in part, by Samtec, Inc. and the Hazel & Walter T. Bales Foundation.

Aprile Rickert is LPM's Southern Indiana reporter. Email Aprile at arickert@lpm.org.

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