Cherokee inmate dies after suicide attempt

By Mashaun D. Simon

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An inmate in the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center who attempted to take his own life Saturday has died.

James Silva, 43, of Woodstock was pronounced dead shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday morning at Atlanta Medical Center after being taken off life support, said sheriff’s office officials.

"Shortly after 8pm Saturday night, a deputy found Silva hanging from a piece of cloth attached to his bed," said Howard J. Baker, Cherokee County Sheriff’s spokesman in a statement. "The deputy was able to get Silva to the floor and began CPR."

At the time, Silva showed no signs of life. He was transported to Northside Cherokee Hospital and then to Atlanta Medical Center.

Silva had been in custody since June 6 following a domestic dispute with his wife, according to Baker.

On the night of the incident, police responded to a third party call of a domestic dispute in progress at Silva’s home in the 600 block of Lovejoy Lane.

When police arrived, they found the house in disarray and Silva and his wife, Cassandra, sitting in the living room on separate recliners. Initially the two told police everything was okay. The officer separated the two, taking Silva outside for questioning.

“Silva he said and his wife had gotten into an argument but it was only a verbal argument and nothing physical occurred,” states the report.

When asked what the argument had started over, Silva told police they started arguing because “their juvenile son had not cleaned up his room as he was told to do.”

Silva threatened to punish the son by taking his four-wheeler away for a month. He then changed the threat as the son began to disrespect him, saying he would sell the four-wheeler. His wife heard the threats and began arguing that Silva “is too hard on their son and told him he was not going to sell anything.”

When asked by the police of her side of the story, Silva’s wife recollected the same version of the story. However, as she gave her report she “was very upset” and would not look at officers “as she answered most of” the questions.

“She also appeared to be hiding her left hand,” the report states, which was swollen. But when asked about the swelling, “she stated she did not know how this had occurred.”

Later police learned from Candie Silva, their daughter, that Silva has been known to hit his wife.

He was facing charges of aggravated battery, battery and cruelty to children. and was being held without bond on a probation violation warrant.

“The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, at the request of the sheriff’s office, is investigating the incident,” said Baker. “An autopsy will be performed this week to determine an official cause of death.”