An investigation was opened to "search for the causes of death" after the death in a sobering-up cell at the police station of Albi of a 43-year-old man, said on Wednesday the prosecutor's office of Albi.
This man had been taken care of by the police early Tuesday evening, "in a state of alcoholic impregnation" in a street in the city center of the prefecture of Tarn, indicated the prosecutor Alain Berthomieu in a press release.
A medical examination had first been carried out in the hospital emergency room but a certificate of non-admission having been issued, he had then been placed in a sobering-up cell, according to the magistrate.
CCTV images of the cell placed under seal
Tuesday shortly before midnight, he was discovered "unconscious" by "the station chief and his assistant during a surveillance round". Despite the first aid from the police and the Samu, his death was noted shortly after midnight.
The video surveillance images of the sobering-up cell have been placed under seal and an autopsy will be carried out in the coming days, according to the prosecution. "This greatly shocked my colleagues. Especially since there were no warning signs of any distress," said Stéphane Espinosa, representative of the union SGP Police FO in Tarn.
"Unfortunately, this was one of many cases of a highly alcoholic person. And unfortunately, this time, this person was more distressed than the others. It remains a trauma for the colleagues present who tried to resuscitate that person, "he concluded.