The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

On Saturday June 25, at 11:40 a.m., Tammy Michelle Williams, an inmate in the Orange County Correctional Facility, was complaining of difficulty breathing. Williams was immediately transferred to the Infirmary Unit for medical attention. She was checked out by the Jail Medical Personnel and all of her vital signs were within normal ranges except her pulse which was above normal.

Williams was placed into one of the medical isolation cells so that she could be monitored by the Medical Staff. Jail staff issued her a lunch tray at approximately 12:15 p.m. When the medical staff checked on Williams at approximately 12:40 they found her unresponsive on the floor in the cell. The jail medical personnel began life saving techniques on Williams and contacted first responders.

Acadian Ambulance and the Orange Fire Department responded to the correctional facility to assist with the emergency. The first responders continued the life saving techniques and transferred Williams to Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital in Orange. The inmate was pronounced deceased at the hospital by the emergency room doctor.

Williams was a 31 year old Vidor resident. She was arrested on June 18 by Vidor Police for several outstanding Orange County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 and Vidor Municipal Court warrants.

Orange County Justice of the Peace David Peck responded and ordered an investigation. Williams was transported to the Jefferson County Morgue where an autopsy was performed. Preliminary autopsy results showed that Williams died as a result of a ruptured pulmonary artery.

The Texas Rangers were contacted and are conducting the investigation with the assistance of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.