‘My worst fear’: Family of man who died in Oregon police transport to mental health clinic
By Soyoung Kim
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — Police have identified a man who died Tuesday in police custody while being taken to a behavioral health center in Portland.
After 26-year-old Jean Michael Descamps was discharged from a hospital emergency room in Milwaukie, he allegedly refused to leave.
The Milwaukie Police Department said officers responded to the hospital, where they learned Jean had several active warrants from Clackamas and Multnomah County, but determined he was “unable to care for himself” and rather than take him to jail, took him to the Unity Center for Behavioral Health in northeast Portland.
On arriving, officers found he had fallen unconscious at some point during the ride and began CPR. Emergency medical assistance was also called, but despite life-saving efforts, he was declared dead.
Jean’s father, Michael Descamps, said his family is in shock over the sudden loss of his son.
“Praying that it’s not, but also my worst fear, was that someday because of his lifestyle was going to happen,” Descamps said.
Descamps said Jean was born and raised in Portland and was the youngest of three children.
“One of my fondest memories was, I’d come home from work, sometimes I’d turn on the baseball game and sometimes I’d go to sleep and it was like every time I’d fall asleep, my kids would pile up in my lap.”
The Portland Police Bureau Major Crimes Team is investigating Jean’s death. According to policy, the two Milwaukie police officers involved are on administrative leave.
The medical examiner’s preliminary findings indicate the cause of death was likely related to a drug overdose. A final toxicology report is pending.
His family said they’re sharing his story in hopes it helps another family in the future.
“Always wish I could do more for him,” Descamps said. “I hope that other families may learn from or even procedures with service departments, hopefully, they can use it like a training tool than just another statistic.”
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