ICE: Detainee dies at Richwood Correctional Center

RICHWOOD, La. (KNOE) - A man being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has died in Louisiana, the agency said Wednesday.

According to ICE, the death happened Tuesday afternoon at the Richwood Correctional Center in Ouachita Parish.

The man is identified as 43-year-old Roylan Hernández-Diáz, of Cuba. ICE says he was pronounced dead at 2:21 p.m. after he was found unresponsive in his cell. They say the cause of death appears to be "self-inflicted strangulation," however the investigation is ongoing. They say his next of kin has been notified.

Hernández-Diáz had been in custody since May 20, 2019. ICE says border patrol encountered him at a port of entry in Texas and he was "deemed inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act."

Richwood Correctional Center is a private prison run by LaSalle Corrections. It's being used to detain undocumented immigrants in Louisiana.

ICE says the Richwood Correctional Center average ICE daily population for the fiscal year that just ended is 375 persons.

The prison can hold up to 1,000 people and is paid just under $65 a day per prisoner. As part of the deal, the Town of Richwood gets $1.50 per person.