Suicide suspected in Md. inmate's death

Howard County police said an inmate found dead last week in the Howard County Central Booking Facility (CBF) in Jessup appears to have committed suicide.

Thomas Edward Brookhyser, 43, of Bowie, was charged Thursday evening with sex abuse of a minor, police said.

Brookhyser was alive when a correctional officer check his cell at 7 p.m. in Thursday evening. But when a correctional officer checked on Brookhyser again at approximately 7:37 p.m. he was on the floor hanging by his shirt from a handicap grab bar near the toilet in the cell, police said.

Police said the correctional officer called for emergency assistance. A CBF correctional lieutenant, a correctional officer, and a Howard County police officer responded. The correctional lieutenant and police officer performed CPR until Howard County Fire and Rescue EMS arrived. Brookhyser was transported by ambulance to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma. He died Friday evening.

Howard County police are investigating the incident. A preliminary investigation shows that Brookhyser displyed no indicators for suicide when he was screened as part of the intake process. Early evidence also indicates that Brookhyser’s behavior did not alert staff for suicide, police said. Preliminarily, there does not appear to be evidence of foul play.