Corey Dean (Full Name: Corey Michael Dean) Died in Custody at San Diego County Jail After Being Found Unresponsive
VISTA, CALIFORNIA (October 17, 2025) – An inmate identified as Corey Dean has tragically died in custody at the Vista Detention Facility on South Melrose Drive.
San Diego County officials are saying that the incident took place around 3:00 a.m. on Sunday. Deputies were performing safety checks when they noticed that Corey Dean was unresponsive in his jail cell.
Jail staff and paramedics entered the cell to help the inmate. Despite life-saving measures, he could not be revived.
Sadly, Corey Dean was pronounced dead at the scene. A full investigation into the death of Corey Dean at the Vista Detention Facility remains ongoing.
Liability for San Diego County Inmate Deaths
San Diego County jails have constitutional requirements related to the care that inmates must be given. The Supreme Court held in Estelle v. Gamble that all inmates must have access to reasonably adequate medical care. Failing to give inmates medical care for their serious conditions constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. In particular, jails must not be deliberately indifferent to an inmate’s medical needs. There are many actions that may be considered deliberately indifferent.
- Doctor’s Orders: A jail may have failed to follow the medical directions given by nurses or physicians.
- Overdose Response: A jail may have failed to properly treat an inmate who was going through an overdose or severe drug withdrawal.
- Emergency Response: A jail may have failed to get an inmate emergency care when they were in the midst of a medical emergency.
One of the core responsibilities that jails must take is performing routine wellness checks on inmates. This is particularly important if an inmate has certain medical conditions. In certain situations, inmates will need to be closely monitored for extended periods. But in far too many situations, jails are overcrowded or understaffed, and inmates do not get the attention that they need.
Determining What Caused an Inmate Death
Thousands of inmates die in custody every year in the United States. Many of the people who died were never even formally convicted of the crimes they were being held for. According to one report by Reuters, “Unlike state and federal prisons, which hold people convicted of serious crimes, jails are locally run lockups meant to detain people awaiting arraignment or trial, or those serving short sentences. The toll of jail inmates who die without a case resolution subverts a fundamental tenet of the U.S. criminal justice system: innocent until proven guilty.” It is important to determine what may have contributed to an inmate’s death.
- Medical Records: All of the medical records related to any inmate deaths should be collected and carefully reviewed.
- Autopsy Report: An inmate’s autopsy report is another crucial piece of evidence. This can shed a great deal of light on the particular cause of an inmate’s death.
- Surveillance Footage: It is relatively common for jails to have surveillance cameras in many locations. These should be carefully reviewed to determine what happened in the moments leading up to an inmate’s death.
Jails are rarely totally transparent about what caused an inmate’s death in their care. They may claim that some death was natural or an accident. But these designations can be highly misleading. Many deaths that are called natural actually involve some amount of medical neglect. The family of any person who died in custody may be able to seek some measure of justice and accountability through a civil action.
Investigating San Diego County Inmate Deaths
We at Carrazco Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Corey Dean. 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. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to prevent other tragedies like this.
Do you need more information about a San Diego County inmate death? Our team of civil rights investigators is here to answer the questions that you may have. We care deeply that all inmates are aware of their rights and that jails are held accountable for their illegal conduct. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (800) 541-3244.
