WCBC

December 11th, 2015 by WCBC Radio

Investigators with the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I) have received the results of the autopsy that was performed on 34 year old Nicola Anna Haines, the inmate who was discovered hanging in her cell on Tuesday evening, 12/08/2015, at the Allegany County Detention Center. On Tuesday evening, at 7:30 PM, Deputies with the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Allegany County Detention Center for a report of a female inmate who had apparently hung herself in her cell. The Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I) was contacted and Investigators responded to assume the investigation. Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim, 34 year old Nicola Anna Haines, was discovered in her locked cell, hanging by a sheet which had been secured to a vent. Detention Center staff immediately removed the victim and began CPR while an ambulance was dispatched to the scene. The victim was transported to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center, where she was later pronounced deceased. In addition to the Sheriff’s Office and C3I, Evidence Collection Technicians with the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division responded to process the scene for evidence. Investigators interviewed numerous witnesses, including other inmates and Detention Center staff. Investigators learned that the victim had been assigned her own cell and was locked in her cell alone at the time of the incident. Each cell is checked every half hour by staff, and the victim was fine when checked just prior to the time she was discovered. According to witnesses, no one was observed entering or leaving the victim’s cell after the victim entered her cell. Review of surveillance video of the area outside the victim’s cell door during that time frame confirmed this information. The victim’s body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The results of the autopsy revealed that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to hanging. The manner of death has been ruled a suicide. No foul play was involved.