OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Authorities have charged a former Oklahoma County Detention Center officer following an investigation into an inmate’s death.

Detention center officials said Jesse Paul Knight was charged Tuesday with destruction or falsification of records and willful neglect of duty in connection with Gabriel Yalartai’s death.

Around 4:20 a.m. Dec. 26, a detention officer found Yalartai in his cell and started CPR after what appeared to be an attempted suicide, officials said. The charge nurse arrived and pronounced Yalartai dead.

Oklahoma County Detention Center officials said investigators learned that the detention officer failed to conduct site checks of Yalartai during his shift.

Authorities fired Knight from the Oklahoma County Detention Center the next day.

“Our Special Investigation Unit determined the detention officer failed to do his duty,” Greg Williams, CEO of the Oklahoma County Detention Center, said in a news release. “We are entrusted with the care and welfare of the detainees in our custody. When that trust is broken, we will work with law enforcement to hold people accountable.”

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