Halawa Prison Death From Last Year Is Reclassified As A Covid-19 Fatality

The unidentified inmate was between 70 and 80 years old. His death brings the total number of Covid-19-related Hawaii prisoner fatalities to 10.

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The death of an elderly inmate who died in late June at the state’s largest prison has been reclassified as a Covid-19-related fatality, bringing the total number of Hawaii inmate deaths related to the coronavirus to 10, according to corrections officials.

The prisoner was between 70 and 80 years old, but his name has not been released.

So far, the state has announced eight inmate deaths at Halawa that were linked to Covid-19, and two deaths of Hawaii prisoners being held at Saguaro Correctional Center in Arizona that were linked to the coronavirus. All of those inmates were men.

The youngest of the Covid-19 related fatalities was between 50 and 60 years old. The oldest was 84-year-old George Shimabuku, who died Dec. 4, 2020.

The Hawaii correctional system had 23 deaths last year, the highest number of inmate deaths in at least the last decade. The cause of death for most of those prisoners is either still undetermined or has not been publicly released.

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