Kansas coroner rules homicide in death of Black teen who was restrained face-down on jail floor

A Black teenager's death after a struggle with officers at a Kansas jail has been ruled a homicide by the local coroner. Law enforcement officials have put the corrections officers on paid leave as the investigation continues with a potential for criminal charges.

An autopsy report said 17-year-old Cedric Lofton, of Wichita, died from "complications of cardiopulmonary arrest sustained after physical struggle while restrained in the prone position."

The autopsy report, filed Monday, states that Lofton had no pulse four minutes after he was handcuffed lying face-down on the floor of the county's juvenile detention facility during the early morning hours of Sept. 24.

Chief Medical Examiner Timothy Gorrill wrote that Lofton was hospitalized "post cardiopulmonary resuscitation" and "hospital course complicated by anoxic brain injury, acute respiratory failure, and acute kidney injury." He died Sept. 26, and Gorrill listed the manner of death as homicide.

Lofton had been arrested by the Wichita Police Department on suspicion of four counts of battery on a law enforcement officer and booked into the Sedgwick County Corrections Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center.

County officials have claimed in news releases that "while in custody, Lofton assaulted JIAC staff and was restrained. Lofton became unresponsive and EMS was summoned." Officials after Lofton's death had publicly said he suffered no apparent life-threatening physical injuries that immediately pointed to a cause of death.

"Corrections employees involved in this matter have been placed on paid administrative leave pending results of the District Attorney’s investigation," said Nicole Gibbs, a spokesperson for Sedgwick County government, in a statement on the autopsy findings. "Due to the active investigation, County officials cannot comment."

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is investigating the circumstances of the death.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said in a statement that his office is reviewing the autopsy and investigation records from the KBI and the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office.

"When a charging decision has been finalized, the public will be notified," Bennett said.

The autopsy also found that Lofton had "pulmonary congestion and edema, and acute bronchopneumonia." His body had "abrasions and contusions," he was COVID-19 positive and was positive for THCA, a cannabis compound.

The coroner wrote that Lofton had reportedly run away from his foster home on Sept. 21 before returning at around midnight Sept. 24. He was "exhibiting erratic and aggressive behavior toward his foster family." Police responding to the scene "with the intention of taking him to a behavior health unit at a local hospital."

However, while in custody, he allegedly "assaulted one or more of the officers around him," so the officers took him to the juvenile jail in a WRAP restraint system. The report does not indicate how exactly Lofton allegedly assaulted police.

Video footage at the jail showed Lofton was placed in a cell at around 2:45 a.m., and the restraints and handcuffs were removed. At 4:20 a.m., officers allowed Lofton out of his cell and into the lobby, but he was "uncooperative and agitated."

Two staffers grabbed Lofton's "upper extremities," but Lofton punched one person in the head, the coroner wrote. The struggle continued until additional staff members helped restrain Lofton. His ankles were then shackled and rolled into a prone position on the floor at 4:33 a.m. He continued to resist, so his hands were cuffed behind his back at 5:08 a.m.

After he was handcuffed, Lofton "calmed down, making occasional snoring sounds. Staff were unable to locate a pulse" at 5:12 a.m. He was then rolled onto his back. Chest compressions started at 5:13 a.m. as staff called for rescue personnel.

Emergency crews took over resuscitative efforts and brought Lofton to a hospital. He remained unresponsive and was pronounced brain dead two days later.

The coroner noted blunt injures when performing the autopsy on Sept. 27. Lofton's body had abrasions on both cheeks, the nose, a lip, the scalp, both sides of the neck, the left shoulder, upper and lower back, both hands, the left wrist, right arm, right knee and left ankle.

Advocates call for transparency in investigation, release of jail video 

Led by Progeny, a Wichita organization that advocates for juvenile justice reform, and other local groups have called for government officials to be transparent in the investigation and to publicly release the jail video.

"We are deeply disheartened by the recent unexplained death of a 17-year-old, African American community member, who tragically lost his life while in state custody," advocates wrote in November letters asking for answers to questions.

Advocates have questioned the 911 response to mental health crises, the state's foster care system and Department for Children and Families policy on mental health situations and the county's use of force and restraints and whether jail officers followed policy 

"We have no intention of letting another Black Wichita son’s death be in vain," Progeny leaders said in an Oct. 13 letter. "We stand in solidarity demanding justice and accountability for a life cut short while in custody of those who should have protected him. Cedric was a child, regardless of all the efforts to adultify him, he was a child that needed services and was systemically failed and his family, friends and community deserve answers."

Progeny leaders said in a statement that they are "devastated" but not surprised by the autopsy finding his death to be a homicide.

"Cedric was a young person in crisis whose life was tragically taken, instead of being met with compassion and support," Progeny said.

"We cannot continue to fail our youth in Kansas by leaving them with nobody to call during a mental health crisis, and we cannot allow another young person to lose their life when they just needed help. Instead of continuing to invest in a broken and harmful youth justice system, we must urgently redirect our resources to the programs we know will actually help and protect our youth."