A 47-year-old Hilo woman died today (February 27) while in police custody. Ann Marie Lewis was found unresponsive within a cell at the Hilo police cellblock at approximately 8:45 in the morning. Fire/rescue personnel were immediately summoned, but she could not be revived.  The decedent was transported to Hilo Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 11:10 a.m.

The decedent was taken into custody at 10:53 the previous evening upon her release from Hilo Medical Center. She was arrested for two outstanding warrants issued for revocation of her probation. She had been unable to post $100,000 bail and was placed into a single occupancy cell. 

Her death has been classified as an unattended death. The investigation is being conducted by detectives assigned to the department's Criminal Investigations Section. An autopsy has been scheduled for this Friday to determine the exact cause of her death.

A standard administrative investigation is also being conducted by the internal affairs division to determine if department policies and procedures were adhered to surrounding the circumstances of Ms. Lewis' confinement.

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