Investigation Underway After Hector Cano Jr Died in Custody at Los Angeles County Prison
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (September 28, 2025) – A 32-year-old man identified as Hector Cano Jr has tragically died in custody at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility jail in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County officials are saying that the incident took place on August 14. Jail staff and paramedics were called to the cell of Hector Cano Jr to help him.
Despite life-saving measures, he later died in jail. The circumstances leading up to the death of the inmate remain unknown.
Very few details have been released thus far. This marks the fourth death at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility this year.
A full investigation into the death of Hector Cano Jr remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths
When the state limits a person’s freedom through detention, arrest, or incarceration, certain constitutional standards will apply. In particular, all inmates have a right to due process and equal protection. Jail officials are not allowed to administer any punishments that could be deemed cruel or unusual. In Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97 (1976), the United States Supreme Court held that the Eighth Amendment prohibits jails from being deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of inmates. Deliberate indifference could take many different forms in a jail setting.
- Denying Prescribed Treatment: Inmates enter jails with various medical needs. When jail officials fail to continue treatments that an inmate was previously receiving, this could be construed as deliberate indifference.
- Ignoring Medical Emergencies: Jail officials may have witnessed an inmate exhibiting signs of a medical emergency and still failed to get them adequate emergency care.
- Improper Monitoring: It is also possible that correctional officers may not have properly monitored an inmate at risk of having a serious medical emergency.
There could be several liable entities for any instance where an inmate dies in custody. This could extend to a private healthcare agency responsible for treating inmates. It is relatively common for jails to outsource healthcare services to private for-profit companies. In many cases, these companies have cut back on the care that inmates receive. This is why it is so critical that all of the circumstances surrounding any inmate death are properly investigated.
Preventing Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths
Los Angeles County has a fairly poor reputation when it comes to the care that inmates have been given. According to Vera, “Overcrowded facilities are the most significant single factor driving jail deaths in Los Angeles. The jail system has operated at as high as 9 percent over capacity this year. This means that not only are the facilities physically crowded, but resources are also being stretched past their breaking point.” Several measures can be taken to prevent in-custody deaths.
- Medication Management: Jails should have trained medical staff to ensure that inmates receive all of the medications that they need without any interruptions.
- Medical Screenings: Every inmate should receive a comprehensive medical screening when they are first admitted into jail.
- Staff Training: All jail staff should be trained to recognize the signs that an inmate is in medical distress.
- Holistic Approach: Correctional facilities should do everything in their power to give inmates lives that are worth living. This can include incorporating natural light and allowing inmates to exercise and have leisure time.
Many jail deaths are totally preventable. This is especially true when an inmate dies very young. A disproportionate number of inmate deaths in Los Angeles County involve inmates in their 30s and 40s. It can be difficult to know where to begin after losing a loved one in a jail. Surviving family members do have legal protections. They are able to seek some measure of accountability and transparency through a civil rights claim.
Investigating Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths
We at Carrazco Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Hector Cano Jr. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. The number of in-custody deaths at Los Angeles County jails in recent months remains deeply concerning.
Do you need more information about an inmate death at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility? Our team of civil rights investigators is here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that inmates and their family members are aware of their constitutional rights and that jails are held accountable for their unconstitutional actions. Whether you have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can contact our office anytime at (800) 541-3244.
