The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has ruled the July 5 death of an inmate at the Wyandotte County Detention Center a homicide and has turned its findings over to the Wyandotte County prosecutor’s office to determine whether criminal charges should be filed.
The autopsy, announced Sept. 5, listed the manner of death as homicide and identified the cause as complications from “mechanical asphyxia,” a condition in which breathing is obstructed. The report said cardiovascular disease and cirrhosis from chronic alcoholism also contributed to the death. The KBI did not elaborate on the specific mechanics that led to the asphyxia.
Charles Adair, 50, died one day after he was arrested on misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear on multiple traffic violations, authorities said. According to a KBI news release summarizing the agency’s investigation, Adair was in the detention center infirmary on the night he died for treatment of a preexisting leg wound. As staff attempted to return him to his cell, the release said, he began yelling and physically resisting. Sheriff’s deputies responded, handcuffed him and placed him on the lower bunk in his cell. The report said deputies encountered continued resistance while attempting to remove the handcuffs, but ultimately “gained control” before removing the cuffs and leaving the cell. Medical staff were called a short time later, found Adair unresponsive and emergency crews who responded attempted resuscitation but he was pronounced dead soon after.
The autopsy report said investigators did not see other signs of obvious injury. The KBI has forwarded its investigative findings to the Wyandotte County prosecutor’s office; a spokesperson for that office did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Mechanical asphyxia can result from physical force, a restricting object or certain body positions that impede breathing, medical sources say. The KBI’s determination of homicide reflects the medical examiner’s finding as to manner of death; it does not itself determine criminal culpability, which will be for prosecutors to assess.
Independent prosecutors have in the past declined to file charges in Kansas cases where detention staff used restraints or force and a detainee later died. In a 2021 case in Wichita, the death of 17-year-old Cedric Lofton at a juvenile detention center was ruled a homicide by an autopsy, but the Sedgwick County district attorney said state self-defense statutes — sometimes referred to as stand-your-ground laws — precluded criminal charges after investigators concluded staff were protecting themselves.
Advocates and legal experts generally note that whether prosecutors bring charges in deaths in custody depends on the totality of evidence, including officer and witness statements, medical findings, video or other recordings, and whether the force used was reasonable under the circumstances. The KBI’s referral makes the autopsy and investigatory materials available for the county prosecutor to review in deciding whether to seek charges.
Relatives of Adair did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment. The case adds to ongoing public scrutiny and legal questions nationwide about restraint practices, medical care in detention settings and accountability when people die while in custody.
The Wyandotte County Detention Center and the sheriff’s office did not immediately provide additional public comment beyond the details released by the KBI.