A 41-year-old woman died in custody at the Rose M. Singer Center on Rikers Island Monday morning, becoming at least the third person to die in the city jail system this year, according to the Department of Correction.
Rajpattie Ramkellawan experienced a medical emergency Monday morning and was pronounced dead at 11:13 a.m., the department said. The cause of death has not been determined and remains under investigation.
“Our hearts are heavy with the tragic loss of an individual in our care,” Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards said in a statement. “We are working with investigators to determine the cause and the circumstances of this tragedy. We extend our deepest sympathies to her friends, family and loved ones.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has pledged to improve conditions at Rikers and eventually close the jail complex in favor of smaller borough-based facilities, called the death a “heartbreaking tragedy.”
“Transparency is essential, and the Department of Correction and our oversight partners have begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this death,” the mayor said in a statement.
Ramkellawan’s death follows the deaths of Barry Cozart, 39, at the George R. Vierno Center on March 25 and John Price, 49, who died days later after being transferred from Rikers to Elmhurst Hospital.
At least 15 people died in or shortly after leaving city jail custody last year, according to Department of Correction records. Federal monitors overseeing the jail system have repeatedly cited failures in supervision, emergency response and medical care inside the jails.
Court records show Ramkellawan had prior arrests in Manhattan in 2023 on misdemeanor theft-related charges, including allegations of shoplifting and package theft. Records indicate she later missed court appearances and was arrested in March on a warrant.
Her attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
