Woman who collapsed in Chippewa Co. Jail declared brain dead

CHIPPEWA FALLS — A woman who collapsed in the Chippewa County Jail last week has now been declared brain dead.

Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten told the Leader-Telegram on Friday that the woman was declared brain dead at an area hospital either late Thursday night or Friday morning.

Patten said the woman was being left on life support systems while seeing if she will become an organ donor.

Patten said it is unclear if an autopsy will be performed. He wasn’t sure what caused her to collapse.

“This case, it’s really vague at this point,” Patten said.

Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes said an investigation on what happened is underway and he couldn’t comment further at this time.

Details of the woman’s identity, why she was arrested, and how long she had been in the jail before she collapsed, have not been released.

Deaths in the Chippewa County Jail are rare. In April 2011, 22-year-old William A. Ball of Minot, N.D., died by suicide in the jail, days after he had been convicted by a jury of of shooting and killing Kyle Ryba. Changes were made within the jail to prevent a similar type of suicide attempt after Ball’s death.

The shooting happened in Boyd on April 3, 2010.