Relatives of a man who died after being found unconscious in a downtown Los Angeles jail cell are seeking answers while raising concerns over whether jail staff adequately addressed his mental health needs. Daniel Magaña, 40, died on Sept. 5 at a local hospital, approximately 10 days following his discovery unresponsive at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, according to his family.

Magaña was arrested by Los Angeles police on Aug. 21, reportedly for evading officers, and was booked at the Van Nuys jail before being transferred to Twin Towers. He was the ninth inmate to die this year at the facility, with the Sheriff’s Department reporting a 10th death on Sept. 20 from causes still pending autopsy results.

According to a wrongful-death claim filed by Magaña’s family on Sept. 21, authorities were aware of his longstanding mental health conditions, including bipolar and schizoaffective disorders. The family states that during booking, Magaña disclosed suicidal thoughts. The claim alleges that after an initial medical emergency requiring hospitalization on Aug. 22, he was returned to the jail without placement in specialized acute mental health housing or receipt of necessary psychiatric evaluation and care.

While mentally ill inmates are typically housed in designated units at Twin Towers, the family contends that Magaña was not transferred to such a unit despite his complex mental health needs. Three days after his hospital return, Magaña was again found unresponsive following what the claim describes as a “second catastrophic emergency.” Staff attempted resuscitation before he was hospitalized, where he later died. The Sheriff’s Department’s public records list the death as pending investigation and autopsy confirmation.

The department emphasized that it takes all in-custody deaths seriously and noted the complexity of factors involved, including medical history and conditions upon incarceration. It highlighted the importance of comprehensive evaluation beyond isolated incidents in assessing such cases.

Magaña’s sister, Alejandra, described him as an affable individual with a passion for cars, tracing back to childhood experiences with their father. Despite the family’s efforts to manage his mental health, she said he exhibited signs of psychosis shortly before his arrest, including suicidal remarks. The family contacted emergency psychiatric services prior to his detention and conveyed concerns about his mental state to responding officers, who were informed of his propensity for delusions and paranoia.

After Magaña failed to appear at a scheduled court hearing on Aug. 24, the family was unable to obtain information from jail authorities and only later learned of his hospitalization. They described receiving conflicting explanations regarding the cause of his injuries, ranging from a fall to possible asphyxiation.

The family expressed frustration over perceived lapses in jail monitoring, noting that deputies are required to conduct welfare checks every 30 minutes—a process previously found to be inconsistent by the Los Angeles County Office of Inspector General. Magaña’s sister asserted that the lack of attentive care contributed to his death.

Magaña is survived by five children between the ages of 11 and 22, who have shared the profound impact of his loss on their lives.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna has acknowledged the challenges of reducing in-custody deaths amid a jail population with increasing medical and mental health needs, citing substance abuse and chronic conditions. Following a rash of inmate deaths earlier this year, Luna requested a review of jail conditions by the National Institute of Corrections. Last year, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Department alleging unsafe and unconstitutional jail conditions. In 2025, the department reported 46 in-custody deaths, up from 32 the previous year, with the majority of detainees having disclosed medical or mental health issues upon booking.

Efforts to enhance safety have included the introduction of body-worn cameras at key facilities, including Twin Towers, aiming to improve monitoring and accountability.