Woman Who Died In Police Custody Hoped To Become Model: Report

NEPTUNE, NJ — The North Carolina woman who died while in police custody was arrested on a drug possession charge outside a strip club, according to a report.

NJ.com reported that Katie Lee Thomas, 21, of Elfand, North Carolina, was arrested on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia in the parking lot of Centerfolds Gentleman's Club, Route 35 in Neptune, quoting the Monmouth County Prosecutor's office.

Thomas was arrested at 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 17, according to the report, and died after she was found unresponsive and not breathing in a holding cell at the police department.

Authorities performed CPR, according to the report, which also said Thomas suffered "an unconfirmed medical episode," quoting the prosecutor's office, which is investigating. She was pronounced dead at 3:45 p.m., according to the report.

Thomas's mother told NJ.com that Thomas, who leaves behind a 3-year-old son, loved the ocean and had been traveling between New Jersey, where Katie Thomas had friends, and her family's home in North Carolina. She had hoped to become a model, her mother told NJ.com. She also had mental health issues, her mother said.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help with funeral expenses.

Read more here.

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