MacDougall-Walker CI death under investigation

Prison Cells
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A man being held at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution was found dead Thursday morning.

The Connecticut Department of Correction says Christopher Root, 29, of Old Saybrook, was found unresponsive near a pool of vomit in his cell.

Root's cellmate had alerted staff about the situation around 12:30 a.m.

The DOC says responding staff immediately initiated emergency and life-saving measures, with continued help from responding paramedics.

Despite the attempts to resuscitate Root, he was ultimately pronounced dead at 1:18 a.m.

The State Medical Examiner's Office is investigating a cause of death.

Root was being held on a first-degree strangulation charge with bond a $1,501,100.

MacDougal-Walker is currently locked down.

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