Investigation Underway After Steven Chavez, 28, Died While in Custody at Los Angeles County Jail
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (February 4, 2026) – A 28-year-old man identified as Steven Chavez has tragically died in custody while being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County officials are saying that the incident took place on February 2. Correctional officers and jail staff were called to the cell of Steven Chavez.
Despite life-saving measures, the inmate died inside of his jail cell. The circumstances leading up to the incident remain unknown at this time.
So far this year, there have been 9 in-custody deaths at jails across Los Angeles County. A full investigation remains ongoing.
Liability for Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths
Jails have a legal obligation to protect inmates from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. To that end, every jail must provide inmates with reasonably adequate medical care and accommodations throughout the duration of their stay. Failing to give inmates adequate medical treatments is a violation of their right to due process and equal protection and therefore unconstitutional. There are many ways that a jail may have contributed to an inmate’s death.
- Health Screenings: Jails may have failed to give an inmate a medical screening to determine what their medical needs are.
- Monitoring: Jails may have failed to provide an inmate with periodic wellness checks to ensure that they are alright.
- Medications: Jails may fail to provide an inmate with the medication that they need.
- Emergencies: Jails may fail to take an inmate to the hospital in a timely manner as they were going through a medical emergency.
Courts will consider a number of factors when determining whether or not a jail could be liable for the death of an inmate in their care. In particular, jails could be liable for an inmate’s death if it was the result of deliberate indifference to a serious medical need. This could include instances where a jail knew that an inmate was at a serious risk of harm and failed to act nonetheless. The family of any inmate who died in a county jail may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a constitutional claim.
Steps to Take After Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths
Far too many inmates die in custody every year in the United States. Many of these deaths occur before an inmate is even convicted of the crime for which they are being held. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “A total of 4,234 persons died in state and federal prisons in 2019, a 6.6% decrease from the 4,515 deaths in 2018 reported to the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Mortality in Correctional Institutions (MCI, formerly the Deaths in Custody Reporting Program) data collection.” Certain steps should be taken after any inmate death in Los Angeles.
- Medical Records: All medical records related to inmate death should be collected and preserved. This will include any records related to their treatments, health screenings, and autopsy reports.
- Surveillance Footage: Surveillance footage that may have captured the incident should be sought. Jails are completely covered in cameras throughout most areas.
- Eyewitnesses: Any person that may have witnessed what happened prior to the death should be interviewed as soon as possible while their memories are still fresh.
- Constitutional Review: The family of any inmate who died in custody should seek a thorough review of the incident with a legal team experienced in civil rights claims. This team can help determine if jail officials violated constitutional standards.
Many deaths that occur in custody are totally preventable. They tend to involve situations where jails are violating safety protocols. Unfortunately, jails will virtually never accept responsibility if an inmate dies in their care. They are more likely to say that any particular inmate death was natural. However, many inmate deaths listed as natural actually involve some amount of medical neglect. This is why it is so important that these incidents are reviewed by an outside party.
Investigating Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths
We at Carrazco Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Steven Chavez. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There are so many questions that remain unanswered. When was the last time this inmate received a wellness check prior to the death? Were jail officials responsive to all of his health needs?
Do you need more information about a Los Angeles County inmate death? Our team of civil rights investigators is here for you. We are committed to helping victims get information and support they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (800) 541-3244.
