BINGHAMTON, NY (607NewsNow) — Broome County officials are responding to rumors about a recent death behind bars.
54-year-old William Warnock, Jr. was pronounced dead in his cell on Monday, and a cause of death has not been determined.
“All incarcerated individuals and detainees entering the Broome County Correctional Facility are given a full health screening, which includes various tests, including testing for tuberculosis (TB),” Sheriff Fred Akshar said. “Those individuals are quarantined until test results come back, per state guidelines and facility policy.”
“No incarcerated individual or detainee has tested positive for TB during these intake screenings,” Akshar continued.
“TB is an extremely slow growing bacterium. Just because you are exposed to someone with TB does not mean you will get it. If you know you were exposed to someone who is TB positive, you can contact our health department. We will provide you step by step what needs to be done, testing access and education,” Broome County Medical Director Dr. Lazarus Gehring added.
An autopsy was performed on Warnock on Tuesday.
