Community Corner
County Jail Investigating Untimely Death Case Involving Concord Man
Christopher Cronan was held in the Merrimack County Jail accused of parole violation after drug convictions in March.
CONCORD, NH — Officials in Merrimack County are investigating the untimely death of a Concord man who was found unresponsive in his cell on Monday.
Travis J. Cushman, the superintendent of the Merrimack County Department of Corrections, said Christopher Cronan, 25, of Concord, was arrested by Concord police on Dec. 8 on a warrant out of Merrimack County for failure to appear at a status conference hearing in superior court on a violation of probation charge after pleading guilty to a single controlled drug: acts prohibited charge in March. Five other drug possession charges were dropped as part of the plea deal of a suspended sentence and a fine.
Police arrested Cronan after an incident at Rite Aid on North State Street.
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Cushman said Cronan was being held as a pre-trial detainee and went through all the standard intake and screening procedures, including a physical and mental health evaluation. After that, he was assigned to the quarantine unit for the first 10 days of his detention.
The corrections officer assigned to this unit conducts frequent and regular rounds to assess the safety and status of each person within the unit, Cushman said. While completing one of these rounds, Cronan was found unresponsive inside his cell just after 9 a.m. Staff members continuously tried to revive him before he was taken to the hospital, administering emergency aid. EMTs took him to Concord Hospital, where he died later, he said.
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“Our goal is to provide persons residing in the department of corrections with a safe and secure environment,” Cushman said. “Our staff takes their responsibilities very seriously. It is tragic whenever a situation like this occurs. Merrimack County expresses our condolences to Mr. Cronan’s family during this time.”
Cronan’s death is being investigated by both corrections and the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office.
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