Name released of Rock Co. inmate who died at jail

JANESVILLE, Wis. (WMTV) – The Rock Co. Medical Examiner’s Office released the name of the inmate who died Thursday morning after she was found lying on the floor of her cell.

The medical examiner identified her as Nicole Lemke, 29, of Janesville. Its statement indicated the forensic examination has been completed. They are still working to determine how she died.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office would not talk about Lemke’s death on-camera, but Craig Strouse with the department emailed NBC15 saying, “It would be improper to comment on this pending investigation.”

The Rock County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against a different inmate named Amanda Buri for possession of narcotic drugs and cocaine. According to the criminal complaint, fentanyl was found on Buri on February 1, 2023.

Lemke was found lying facedown in her cell on February 2, 2023.

Officials have not indicated whether the two incidents are related or not.

“At this time the cause of death has not been confirmed, so it would not be appropriate to speculate,” Rock County Board of Supervisors Representative Mike Zoril said. “I do want to assure the public that the committee will fully cooperate with the authorities in their investigation and take necessary action once all of the facts have been established.”

Zoril represents Rock County District 14 and sits on the public safety and justice committee that has policy supervision over the sheriff’s office.

At the committee’s Monday night meeting, the sheriff’s office and District Attorney David O’Leary told members they could not answer questions about Lemke’s death because it was an on-going criminal investigation.

According to a statement from the sheriff’s office, Rock Co. jail correctional officers were doing their routine security checks around 1:15 a.m. when they discovered the woman lying on the floor of her cell. They alerted medical workers and paramedics rushed to the scene.

Emergency crews attempted life-saving measures that were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office reported. Her death remains under investigation by the Rock Co. Sheriff’s Office and the medical examiner’s office.

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