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Sheriff: Inmate dies by suicide at Gwinnett County jail

01/19/2021 — Lawrenceville, Georgia — The exterior of the Bobby G. Plunkett Jail in Gwinnett County, Lawrenceville, Tuesday January 19, 2021. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)
01/19/2021 — Lawrenceville, Georgia — The exterior of the Bobby G. Plunkett Jail in Gwinnett County, Lawrenceville, Tuesday January 19, 2021. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)
By Arielle Kass
Feb 4, 2021

An inmate at the Gwinnett County detention center died this week, according to the county sheriff.

Jeremiah Wendt was being held at the county jail on a probation violation since Dec. 15, according to a statement from the Gwinnett sheriff’s office. Wendt, who was 40 at the time of his arrest, had outstanding warrants in Baldwin and Lumpkin counties and was being held without bond.

The sheriff’s office said he died by suicide Wednesday. Wendt was found unconscious just before 6 p.m., after a deputy reported that he, and all other residents, were safe and secure at 5:42 p.m.

The statement said the deputy who found Wendt “immediately called for medical assistance and began life-saving protocols” but that Wendt “did not survive his injuries.”

About the Author

Arielle Kass covers Gwinnett County for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She started at the paper in 2010, and has covered business and local government beats around metro Atlanta. Arielle is a graduate of Emory University.

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