Family members and friends are planning a candlelight vigil and peaceful protest on behalf of a man who died last month in custody at the Sedgwick County Detention Center.
The protest is planned outside the Sedgwick County Courthouse at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 27th. It is being held in memory of 37-year-old Benjamin Nida, who died on June 27th at the jail. Nida was taken into custody on June 25th on a felony warrant for contempt of court. Family members said he was a Type 1 diabetic, and that was reported to the arresting officers.
The Sheriff’s Office said EMS was called to the jail on June 26th because of irregular lab results with an inmate, but he became unresponsive before paramedics arrived. Medical staff and paramedics attempted life-saving measures, but the inmate was pronounced dead. An autopsy was ordered to determine the cause of death.
Family members claim Nida was not given proper medical care or attention, and they are demanding reforms and change in the county jail.
