Three Harris County inmate deaths reported in two days

HARRIS COUNTY - Officials with the Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) are investigating the deaths of three jail inmates that happened within two days.

Harris County: Inmate deaths in two days

What we know:

According to news releases from the HCSO, three inmates suffered medical emergencies while in custody between Sunday and Monday.

The first person was reported deceased at 7 a.m. on Sunday. Officials say 43-year-old Alexander Winstel was previously "diagnosed with a life-threatening health condition."

Winstel had reportedly been in jail for four days under charges including DWI, aggravated assault, and possession of controlled substances.

Phillipp Brummett, 68, was pronounced deceased shortly after 9 p.m. on Monday. The HCSO says he was booked into jail on June 18, but he was sent to a hospital the next day following a medical emergency.

Officials say Brummett's charges were related to sexual assault of a child.

At about 11:30 a.m. on Monday, 35-year-old Ronald Pate was pronounced deceased after suffering a medical emergency in jail.

Pate had been in custody since June 11 on two charges of possessing controlled substances.

Each person's death is said to have been reported to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

What we don't know:

There is no other information on the inmates' health emergencies.

Each person's cause of death will be determined by autopsies from the Harris County Institute.

In-custody deaths under investigation

What's next:

In accordance with state law that requires jail deaths to be investigated by a different law enforcement agency, the Houston Police Department will be handling the investigations.

The Sheriff's Office's Internal Affairs Division will look into "whether all applicable policies and procedures were followed."