KANAGAWA (TR) – An investigation is underway following the death 69-year-old man while in police custody for an unpaid restaurant bill, reports TBS News (April 2).
At approximately 6:00 p.m. on Friday, a staff member on a routine patrol at the Uraga Police Station, located in Yokosuka City, discovered the man unconscious in a detainment facility. He had damp underwear stuffed in his mouth and his hands over his face.
After being transported to a nearby hospital, he was confirmed dead.
About 15 minutes before the discovery, the man was observed alive and sitting upright.
Police suspect that he committed suicide, according to Fuji News Network (April 2).
“Patrol procedures were conducted properly,” a police representative is quoted. “An investigation to determine all the facts of the case is ongoing.”
On Wednesday, police apprehended the man after he allegedly failed to pay a restaurant bill totaling approximately 500 yen.