AVOYELLES PARISH, LA – State Department of Corrections officials say a warden and a medical director at a state prison have died from the coronavirus. Warden Sandy McCain and medical director Dr. Casey McVea both worked at the Raymond Laborde Correctional Center in Avoyelles Parish. The state says McVea died over the weekend and McCain died Monday.
The Department of Corrections also announced Monday that an inmate has died after testing positive for the coronavirus.
The 69-year-old man, who had underlying medical conditions, was a prisoner at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.
The inmate had been hospitalized in Baton Rouge since April 15 and died on April 18. His family has been notified of his death.
According to the Department of Corrections, the prisoner was serving a life sentence for first degree murder, and had been imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary since Jan. 1978.
For the privacy of his family and due to confidentiality laws, the DOC is not releasing the inmate’s name nor his medical conditions.
The Louisiana DOC is working closely with the Louisiana Department of Health and is committed to following the proposed guidance from the CDC on Correctional and Detention Facilities.
Secretary James LeBlanc said, “The entire Department is focused on minimizing the potential impact of this disease on our correctional system. We understand that this is a very trying time for everyone in Louisiana including our employees, prison population and their loved ones. We are making every effort to ensure that inmates in our state prisons are informed and able to remain connected to their loved ones throughout this time.”
Numbers regarding confirmed COVID-19 positive tests results within the state-run prisons will be updated at 11 a.m. on a daily basis.