NEWTON, IOWA – An Iowa inmate serving a sentence for sex abuse has died from heat disease, officials say.
Ernest Marienous Christensen, an inmate assigned to the Newton Correctional Facility, died October 27, 2016. At approximately 11:00 A.M. Christensen was discovered unresponsive in the assigned cell. Health service and security staff immediately responded and employed emergency medical protocols but were unable to revive Christensen.
An autopsy report determined that Christensen died of natural causes due to coronary artery disease.
Christensen was 66 years old and serving a ten year sentence for Sex Abuse Third Degree from Osceola County. This sentence began on July 2, 2013.
What is heat disease?