Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Announces Detainee Death: Sheriff Owens Urges Public to Seek Mental Health Support
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December 23, 2024
Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Announces Detainee Death
Sheriff Owens Urges Public to Seek Mental Health Support
MARIETTA, GA - On the evening of Dec. 21, Cobb deputies found Clara Palmer, a female detainee, unresponsive in her cell and began administering CPR. Emergency responders then transported her to Kennestone Hospital, where Palmer was pronounced dead at 9:17 p.m.
The Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine a cause of death.
The holidays can sometimes feel overwhelming. Sheriff Owens urges detainees and their loved ones to seek help if they need emotional support, especially those also suffering from a substance use disorder. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) states that an estimated 90% of individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental health condition—most often depression or a substance use disorder—at the time of their death.
Individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts or severe emotional distress can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8 or visit 988lifeline.org for free and confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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About the Cobb County Sheriff's Office: The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office is a law enforcement agency that executes a broad range of services which include but are not limited to Jail Operations, Court Security, Criminal Warrant Execution, Civil Process Service, Mental Health Transports, Forgery/Fraud Investigation, and Fugitive Investigation and Apprehension. Sheriff Craig Owens took over the office on Jan. 1, 2021, and leads a staff of more than 800 deputies and civilians. Under his leadership, the Sheriff’s Office has the most diverse command staff in its nearly 200-year history and is on the path to becoming the best law enforcement agency in the State of Georgia. To learn more about the Cobb County Sheriff's Office, visit https://www.cobbsheriff.org/. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Download the Cobb County Sheriff's Office App!