Three inmates were found unconscious in their respective cells last Friday, one day after they were admitted to Curran-Fromhold on various drug charges. In a statement released Tuesday, the mayor's communications office said efforts to revive two of the inmates were unsuccessful.
The third was rushed to a nearby hospital and revived.
Names of the inmates have not been released and the cause of still death is pending. However, fentanyl was found in the urine of the two who died. The statement goes on to say that investigators want to find out if drugs were introduced inside the facility, if there is any correlation among the inmates and whether all internal prison policy procedures were followed.
The incident comes at a time of growing tension between the Department of Prisons and the union representing city corrections officers.
"The morale up on State Road is zero," said Greg Trueheart, president of District Council 33 Local 159.
"They're handing suspension days like skittles, from the wardens on down. We're talking about wardens and deputy wardens suspended. And we've never seen it this bad," he added.
Trueheart also claims the administration hasn't hired any new corrections officers since 2018, and is attempting to make up for the resulting staffing shortage by shifting schedules around.
A spokeswoman for the mayor's office says they are aware of the union's complaints and are looking into them.