Press Release

SOUTH BEND — The Indiana State Police are investigating the death of an inmate at the St. Joseph County Jail.

The deceased inmate has been identified as Christine Dezenzo, 49, Elkhart. Dezenzo was booked into the St. Joseph County Jail at 12:28 p.m. Wednesday, July 13. Dezenzo’s family has been notified.

Around 8:30 a.m. Thursday, July 14, ISP was contacted after jail staff found Dezenzo was unresponsive.

Jail staff found Dezenzo alone and unresponsive in her cell in the medical unit. Life-saving measures were conducted by jail and medical staff until emergency medical technicians arrived. Dezenzo was pronounced deceased at the jail.

An autopsy is scheduled to be completed July 15, at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine in Kalamazoo, Mich.

This investigation is ongoing and there is no other information to release at this time.