KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter and Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett spoke to reporters Thursday about the 17-year-old who died while in custody on Friday, Sept. 24.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is actively investigating the death of Cedric "CJ" Lofton, who was arrested outside his home Sept. 24 and was taken to a Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center. He became unresponsive in a holding cell and was transported to Wesley Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.
Easter said a preliminary autopsy report showed that no life-threatening injuries had been found as of yet.
"Some scratches and a bruise," Easter said.
The sheriff also said that Lofton may have ingested some illegal narcotics prior to the police arriving at his home, but they are waiting on a toxicology report to confirm that.
"Toxicology can take up to four to six months to get back," Easter said. "We are hoping to get this case pushed up in the line."
Easter asked the public to "remain patient while the investigation progresses," and he said that the KBI and his department "will leave no stone unturned."
The county district attorney said that he expects the KBI's preliminary investigation will be completed by the end of next week. Bennett said that his office will decide if charges will be filed against the officers involved, and he will make that announcement sometime in the week after next week.
