Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office identifies jail inmate who died in custody

OREGON CITY, Or. -- The Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office identified the jail inmate who died while in custody last week as Gerlinde Spring Lynch.

Lynch, a 46-year-old white female, died at the Clackamas County Jail on Feb. 18. Her last known residence was in Albany, Or.

The results of the autopsy conducted by Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office on Feb. 19 are still pending concerning cause of death.

Lynch was taken into custody on Feb. 18 after Oregon City Police Department officers responded to a report of a female damaging property in a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant parking lot.

Lynch faced charges of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree and Resisting Arrest.

Lynch arrived at the jail at around 10:45 p.m. During the booking process, she became uncooperative. When deputies attempted to restrain her, Lynch became unresponsive.

Deputies and jail medical staff performed emergency lifesaving efforts. American Medical Response paramedics and Clackamas Fire arrived, assumed care and later pronounced Lynch deceased.

In accordance with standard protocol, the investigation is being led by the Clackamas County Interagency Major Crimes Team in collaboration with the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office. Detectives from the Milwaukie Police Department and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office are leading the Major Crimes Team investigation with assistance from detectives from the Oregon City Police Department, Oregon State Police, the Sandy Police Department, and the West Linn Police Department.

The Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office will have no further comment until the investigation concludes.