Santa Rita Jail Inmate Dies After Medical Emergency, Sheriff's Office Says

DUBLIN, CA — A 37-year-old San Francisco man died in custody at Santa Rita Jail on Sunday, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office announced.

On Thursday, May 28 at around 5:17 a.m., jail deputies found Brandon Anthony Josep Watson unresponsive in his bed after he failed to respond for breakfast. Personnel initiated life-saving measures and requested emergency medical services. Watson was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for further treatment. He was pronounced dead Sunday at around 3:23 p.m.

Watson's next of kin has been notified. The official cause of death will be determined by a forensic pathologist following an autopsy and any necessary toxicology testing.

Watson was transported to Santa Rita Jail from Monterey County Jail the day before he was found unresponsive, pursuant to a CHP Dublin warrant for auto theft.

Watson marks the second in-custody death at the jail since 2026. In February, Oakland woman Dequita Grace Harrell was found unresponsive in a public lobby restroom while waiting for an inmate's release.

SEE ALSO:

• Santa Rita Jail Inmate Death: 37-Year-Old Woman Found Unresponsive
• Woman Dies While Visiting Santa Rita Jail: Sheriff