OKLAHOMA CITY—A teenager who was being held at an Oklahoma jail on a rape charge and who was found unresponsive last week after an apparent suicide attempt has died.
The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office said John Leroy Daniel Applegate died on Wednesday, May 1, at a hospital after he was found unconscious April 23.
A news release dated Thursday says the 16-year-old had been jailed since Feb. 2 after being arrested by police in Choctaw, about 15 miles east of Oklahoma City. He faced charges including rape and assault with a deadly weapon. The release says Applegate was being held alone.
Court documents don’t list an attorney for Applegate. He had been scheduled for a hearing Friday. A court filing Friday said the case is now closed.
Sheriff’s spokesman Mark Myers said Friday that the investigation into Applegate’s death is ongoing and could take about a month to complete. It will include looking at medical records.
Oklahoma law allows juveniles to be housed in adult jails if they are kept separate from older inmates. The jail must be approved by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
Department of Health spokesman Tony Sellars said all jail deaths must be reported to his department.
Criminal charges involving juveniles are generally kept secret, but Oklahoma law permits judges to consider some juveniles as youthful offender cases, which allows the state to levy harsher penalties for serious offenses. Court filings in the case against Applegate’s were made public.
It’s unclear if Applegate was awaiting a mental health evaluation.
Choctaw Police Chief Kelly Marshall said Friday that her officers were called to a home to investigate a report of sexual assault, and determined there was probable cause.
Marshall said when officers told Applegate he was going to be arrested, he pulled a BB gun that looked like a real firearm from a drawer. Officers used a stun gun to subdue him, and he was taken into custody.
The Oklahoma County Jail, located in Oklahoma City, has been under increased scrutiny. In April, a panel of government officials and community leaders voted to hire a private contractor to run the facility rather than the sheriff.
Suicide Prevention
Here is information on suicide prevention from the National Institute of Mental Health. If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741.“Suicide rates increased significantly across most states during 1999–2016. Various circumstances contributed to suicides among persons with and without known mental health conditions,” the report stated.
If you or someone you know is showing signs that they might be suicidal, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 800-273-TALK. You can also text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
In the United States, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 1-800-273-8255.