DA: Better Procedures Needed After Woman Dies In Lowell Police Holding Cell
WOBURN (AP) — A prosecutor says no charges are warranted in the Jan. 13 death of a 31-year-old woman at the Lowell Police Department.
But Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said Monday an investigation of Alyssa Brame's death shows better training and procedures are needed for taking care of people who seem intoxicated in custody. An autopsy found Brame died of acute ethanol poisoning.
When Brame was arrested the night of Jan. 12 on a prostitution charge, police said she appeared highly intoxicated. Records show she had been arrested several times before when she appeared drunk.
Brame was placed in a holding cell when she wasn't in condition for booking. She was found unresponsive about an hour later. Police and EMTs tried unsuccessfully to revive her.
Her mother told the Lowell Sun at the time that Brame had recently had pneumonia.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
