Fentanyl Overdose Cited in Lorain County Jail Inmate's Death

Joseph Boden, 37, died as an inmate at the Lorain County Jail last month. Today, the county's medical examiner's office ruled that a fentanyl overdose caused his death.

As of 11 p.m. on March 20, Boden was alert for a headcount at the jail. At 11:25 p.m., he was found “in need of assistance” in his dormitory-style housing unit. According to a public statement at the time, on-duty medical staff administered emergency medical care to Boden. He was then transported by ambulance to University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Boden was scheduled to be released April 3 after serving three months for theft and contempt charges.

“He was the center of attention in any room he went in and he could make anybody laugh,” Boden's wife, Jessica, told the Wellington Enterprise. “He could make anybody’s mood change from negative to positive.”

The Enterprise reported that detectives had told Jessica that an inmate alerted guards that something was wrong with Boden and that he had no pulse and was unresponsive when CPR was performed on him that night.

Scene has reached out to the Lorain County Sheriff's Office for additional information and context behind Boden's death. We'll update as we learn more.