Woman Dies Hours After Arriving At Forsyth County Jail

CUMMING, GA — A 28-year-old woman died at the Forsyth County Jail hours after arriving, officials said.

At 6:30 a.m. on Nov. 20, jail deputies responded to a holding cell to an unresponsive inmate. Three nurses at the jail, along with deputies, administered a dose of Narcan and used the A.E.D. as EMS were called. A short time after EMS arrived, the inmate was pronounced dead.

The inmate, identified as Melissa Ponce, 28, of Tucker, was arrested on suspicion of D.U.I. at 3:40 a.m. At 6 a.m., Ponce was seen by deputies, served breakfast and showed no signs of requiring medical attention, official said.

An initial investigation suggests Ponce ingested an illegal narcotic before being incarcerated at the Forsyth County Jail.

Ponce was taken to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. Per the sheriff’s office standard procedures, the GBI was requested to conduct an investigation. The GBI will contact the sheriff when that investigation is complete, and the cause of death is determined.

The Sheriff’s Office of Professional Standards is doing a parallel investigation into the incident.