BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – UPDATE on 2/18/2025: Officials identified a 40-year-old inmate who died following a medical episode at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.
Baltazar Castaneda was found unresponsive at the jail’s infirmary around 8:45 p.m. on Jan. 30, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
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Authorities attempted to save Castaneda’s life, but he ultimately died from complications related to a “chronic condition,” the sheriff’s office told KSAT.
Castaneda’s cause and manner of death were not readily available on Tuesday afternoon.
BCSO said Castaneda was jailed on charges of arson with intent to commit damage and assault causing bodily injury - family/household.
This is a developing story. KSAT will update this article once more information becomes available.
ORIGINAL STORY: A 40-year-old inmate at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center died following a medical episode at the jail Thursday morning, the sheriff’s office said.
According to a Bexar County Sheriff’s Office news release, a deputy found the inmate unresponsive at the jail’s infirmary just before 8:45 a.m. Thursday. BCSO said the deputy called for medical assistance while also attempting to save the inmate’s life.
Despite those efforts, the inmate was pronounced dead.
The sheriff’s office said the inmate experienced the medical episode due to complications stemming from a chronic illness. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the inmate’s official cause of death as a part of its investigation.
The sheriff’s office said the medical examiner’s office will also provide the inmate’s identification.
BCSO said the inmate was booked into the Bexar County jail in March 2024 on an arson charge. Jail officials said they have already notified the Texas Commission on Jail Standards regarding the inmate’s death.
Thursday’s death is believed to be the first inmate death at the Bexar County jail in 2025.
In 2024, BCSO reported 13 inmate deaths at the jail, which was down from 18 deaths in 2023.
Less than a week after the last known inmate death at the jail in 2024, the TCJS notified the sheriff’s office that the jail was not meeting state laws and minimum jail standards.
In response, the BCSO developed a plan to regain compliance with the state agency, which included additional tracking of prisoners who were not yet assigned a unit.
According to the sheriff’s office, the Bexar County Adult Detention Center regained TCJS compliance on Dec. 31, 2024.
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