Inmate Bites Off Own Thumb, Slides It Under Jail Cell Door Towards Deputy
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - The Larimer County Sheriff's Office released a statement on Thursday saying they're concerned about the growing number of mentally ill inmates after an inmate bit off his own thumb.
According to the statement, on Wednesday at approximately 2 a.m. a corrections deputy at the Larimer County Jail was doing a routine 15-minute check on inmates when the incident occurred in the high security housing unit.
"He saw something slide into his path from under the cell door. Upon closer inspection, the deputy realized it was a person's thumb. The deputy looked into the cell and could see the inmate bleeding from his hand," the sheriff's office said in the statement.
Upon further investigation it was determined that the inmate had bitten his own thumb off his hand. He was taken to a hospital but his thumb couldn't be reattached.
The sheriff's office said after the inmate was returned to the jail he continued to try to harm himself by "pulling at the bandages and attempting to bite himself." The inmate had also assaulted a corrections deputy in the past.
"This is an example of the growing number of inmates housed in county jails who suffer from apparent or diagnosed mental illness. While the Larimer County Jail does provide mental health services to inmates through diagnoses and medications, the jail is not the appropriate venue for treatment of mental illness," the sheriff's office said.
"Behavior management continues to be complex for corrections deputies because of inmates suffering significant and persistent mental health issues," said Cpt. Tim Palmer, Corrections Division Commander.
