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Sheriff issues statement after 2 young inmates reportedly kill themselves in Cobb County jail

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  June 21, 2023 4:10pm EDT
News
FOX 5 Atlanta

Two teenagers are dead after they reportedly took their own lives while in jail in Cobb County.

According to Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens, 19-year-old Augustus Green died at 10:40 p.m. June 17 and 17-year-old William Lopez died at 8:48 a.m. June 20.

A deputy reportedly found Green unresponsive in his cell and began life-saving measures. He was transported to Kennestone Hospital, but they were unable to save him. Green, who was awaiting trial for aggravated assault and other charges, was in a standard cell at the time.  

No additional information has been released about Lopez.

The sheriff released the following statement:

"First, I want to extend my personal and deepest condolences to the families of Messrs. Green and Lopez," said Owens. "My administration is centered around recognizing the humanity of all in our custody and care."

"It breaks my heart that we lost two young men," added Owens. "We are leaning even more heavily on our community partners and will seek assistance from the State to both increase our number of close observation beds and to streamline the process for referring detainees to outside service providers so they can get all of the services that will benefit them and aid in preventing suicides."

According to a press release, the Cobb County Sheriff's Office has "gained a reputation for its commitment to mental health services." Detainees reportedly have 24/7 access to mental health support. The agency also recently became the first in Georgia and only one of two nationally to implement the latest body camera technology, which allows for two-way communication between a person who is having a mental health episode and a mental health provider.

"As NAMI for Cobb, we understand the feeling of loss by this tragedy," said Peter M. Lyons, president of NAMI Cobb. "We intend to continue working very closely with Sheriff Owens to prevent future tragedies because we are aware that our youth are in a mental health epidemic. The data and statistics tell us that. Our children are telling us that through the yearly Department of Education mental health school surveys."
The Cobb County Adult Detention Center’s 32-bed unit that houses individuals under close observation is routinely at capacity. Numerous scientific studies have shown a sharp increase in mental health conditions across the country, with even higher numbers for those in the justice system.

NAMI Georgia offers a free, weekly support group for Cobb and metro Atlanta families who have an incarcerated loved one experiencing mental health challenges. The group meets online Tuesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. Families interested in participating can email rjgray49@gmail.com for more information.

For more information about suicide and mental health rates, please visit the website for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). For information specifically on preventing and reducing suicide, please visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website at: https://afsp.org/.