Woman, 51, dies while being held at Cook County Jail

SHARE Woman, 51, dies while being held at Cook County Jail
cookcountyjail_111116_002_65268457.jpg

The Cook County Jail. | Santiago Covarrubias/Sun-Times

A 51-year-old woman died Saturday while being held at the Cook County Jail on a drug possession charge.

Lavera Scott was pronounced dead at 5:28 a.m. at the jail, located in the 2600 block of South California Avenue, Cook County sheriff’s office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari said.

The circumstances of her death did not appear suspicious, Ansari said.

Autopsy results were still pending on Sunday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A spokeswoman for the Cook County Dept. of Public Health on Saturday said the jail’s hospital, Cermak Health Services, does not comment on the health conditions or care that inmates receive.

Scott was charged in September with possession of a controlled substance and was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to court records. She failed to appear at a court hearing in November and a warrant was issued for her arrest.

She was taken into custody on the warrant in February and ordered held without bail, according to court records. She pleaded not guilty to the charge on Feb. 19.

Chicago police said she lived in the West Pullman neighborhood.

The Latest
The Bears’ decision to have a surveyor examine the south parking lot of Soldier Field, as a source confirmed Thursday, is the latest example of the team exploring options for a new stadium outside of Arlington Heights.
Lawmakers must consider new taxes, combining four regional transit agencies under one board and changing fee structures. The report recommends the state prop up public transit with $1.5 billion.
The area has been the subject of scrutiny by Ald. Bill Conway (34th) and neighbors who say the encampment has spurred an increase in crime.
In the five months since July, the city has seen the sharpest spike in robberies in 20 years, driven by crimes committed with a weapon.
Over-the-air TV is coming in handy for teams and leagues looking for new homes and wider distribution amid the upheaval pervading regional sports networks.