74-year-old woman inmate dies at the Benton County jail hours after she was arrested
An inmate has died at the Benton County jail.
At 3:30 a.m. on Thursday, deputies were dispatched an incident at the Kennewick facility for a woman who was unresponsive, according to a news release from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
The woman had been arrested by a local agency on Wednesday and booked into the jail. She was found during a routine check at 3:25 a.m., according to the news release.
Corrections officials initiated CPR and an AED was used to try to restart her heart. Paramedics also responded, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
The investigation is ongoing, said officials.
The Benton County Coroner’s Office confirmed to the Herald that they had received her body.
Online jail records show Mary Ann Blasutti, 74, of Richland, was arrested by Richland police for fourth-degree assault.
She was booked into the jail around 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Benton County Communications Coordinator Glenn Vaagen confirmed Blasutti was the inmate in a news release Thursday afternoon.
Vaagen said she had never been booked into jail before, had no injuries related to her arrest, reported no medical concerns or underlying health conditions and had not reported any history of alcohol or drug use. He said Blasutti was booked in, completed medical screening and was assigned to a holding cell for the night without incident.
There were no signs of foul play and she appears to have died in her sleep.
An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
This story was originally published July 20, 2023 at 2:25 PM.
