Wichita work-release inmate dies; cause of death unknown
An inmate in state custody at the Wichita work-release facility died Wednesday of an unknown cause, the Kansas Department of Corrections announced.
The death of Charles Rist, 54, was not believe to be linked to the coronavirus pandemic, KDOC reported.
Rist went into medical distress on Wednesday, so officials at the work release facility prepared him to be transported to secure medical facilities at the state prison at El Dorado, said KDOC spokeswoman Rebecca Witte.
While they were on the way, his conditioned worsened so they diverted to the nearest medical center, Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital, Witte said.
Rist was pronounced dead by the on-call physician there, she said.
The cause of death is unknown pending an autopsy.
As with all in-custody deaths, both KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation will conduct investigations.
Rist was serving a 130-month sentence for multiple Sedgwick County convictions in 2010 and 2011.
They included an offender registration violation, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and several additional drug possession convictions.
The Wichita work-release facility is a satellite of the Winfield Correctional Facility.
It houses about 250 minimum-security inmates who stay in the facility at night and work at jobs in the community during the day.
Rist was employed with a local construction company, Witte said.
