Birmingham deputy chief of public safety addresses 2 city jail inmate deaths in 3 days
The death of a Birmingham City Jail inmate on June 11 stemmed from a self-harm incident, and the death of another inmate on June 14 followed a self-harm incident hours earlier.
Mason Reed 
Birmingham city officials are shedding light on two separate inmate deaths that occurred within the Birmingham City Jail over a span of just three days. Birmingham Deputy Chief of Public Safety Carlton Peeples confirmed in a statement on Monday that both fatalities were the result of self-harm incidents.
Incident One: June 11
The first tragedy took place on June 11 when 32-year-old Patrick Lamar Croskey was found unresponsive in his single-cell during a routine welfare check. Although jail staff attempted life-saving measures, Croskey was pronounced dead at the scene. He had been held in the jail since April 21 on multiple charges, including third-degree assault, disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and criminal mischief.
Incident Two: June 14
On June 14, 2026, a second inmate was discovered unresponsive. The 35-year-old from Center Point was initially found during a self-harm attempt at roughly 10 a.m. that morning, according to details provided by officials. Following a medical evaluation at UAB Hospital, he was returned to the jail and placed on suicide watch.
Despite ongoing welfare checks, the inmate was found unresponsive in his cell at approximately 1:07 p.m. He was transported back to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:57 p.m. He had been booked into the facility one day prior on a disorderly conduct charge.
Ongoing Investigations
Deputy Chief Peeples noted that a preliminary review suggests jail staff adhered to established protocols throughout these events. Both deaths are currently under independent, active investigation by the Birmingham Police Department and the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, which will finalize the official causes of death.
