Details Released in Death Investigation of Alexandria Woman

PHOTO: Natasha McKenna, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office

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The Fairfax County Police Department, in conjunction with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, released the following details Thursday regarding the current in-custody death investigation of Alexandria resident Natasha McKenna:

“On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Alexandria City Police Department obtained a felony warrant against Natasha McKenna for assaulting a law enforcement officer (Code of Virginia §18.2-57). The assault occurred during an encounter they had with her on Thursday, Jan. 15.

On Sunday, Jan. 25, McKenna called the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications Center reporting that she had been assaulted. The arriving Fairfax County police officer then assisted her with making the report and she agreed to be examined at a local hospital for her alleged injuries. Detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Division and Crime Scene Section also responded to conduct a follow-up investigation.

While at the hospital with McKenna, detectives and a victim services specialist assisted with the investigative efforts. During the course of the investigative efforts, McKenna elected to no longer pursue the investigation and declined further police services. During the course of the investigation, a record check revealed McKenna had the outstanding arrest warrant for assaulting a law enforcement officer in Alexandria City.

On Monday, Jan. 26, shortly after 1 a.m., McKenna was transported from the hospital to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (ADC), where the warrant was served and she was remanded to the custody of the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, as directed by a Fairfax County magistrate. The Sheriff’s Office made contact with Alexandria at approximately 7:40 a.m. to inform them that they were holding an inmate with an Alexandria City charge.

On Saturday, Jan. 31, McKenna physically assaulted a Fairfax County deputy sheriff while incarcerated at the ADC.

On Tuesday, Feb. 3, the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, pursuant to its protocols for managing combative inmates, made a decision to have the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) remove McKenna from her cell for transport to the detention center in the City of Alexandria as related to her charge that originated in the City of Alexandria. As the SERT attempted to secure McKenna in her cell and restrain her for transport, she physically resisted the deputies and refused their commands. The SERT consisted of six deputy sheriffs, which included two supervisors.

During the struggle to restrain McKenna, a member of the SERT deployed a conducted energy weapon (Taser) on McKenna. While being restrained, deputies placed a spit net (which is designed to restrict and prevent spitting) on McKenna. A nurse from the ADC medical staff was present at that time to check on her prior to transport and cleared her for transport. Deputies attempted to put her in a medical transport chair, but McKenna continued to be combative and was moved to a restraint chair for transport to a vehicle transfer area, commonly known as a sally port.

A Fairfax County deputy sheriff was assigned to record the deployment of the SERT and the video is currently retained as evidence by detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department and will not be released at this time.

Deputies escorted McKenna from the cell area to the sally port where the transport vehicle was waiting. Once at the sally port, medical personnel from the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office checked McKenna and determined she was experiencing a medical emergency. The spit net and restraints were removed and medical staff and deputies from the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office administered CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) while awaiting rescue personnel from the Fairfax City Fire Department. McKenna was then transported to the hospital by ambulance and after life support was removed, died on Sunday, Feb. 8.

There were reports from outside sources that alluded to McKenna suffering an amputated finger. However, the investigation by detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department affirmed that McKenna had a pre-existing injury (missing the tip of her ring finger on her left hand), which was noted during the arrest booking on Monday, Jan. 26.

To date, detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department have conducted an extensive number of comprehensive interviews, and the in-custody death investigation is active and on-going. When complete, detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Division will present their entire investigation, which will include any video and data from the conducted energy weapon, along with the findings of the Office of the Medical Examiner (still awaiting report), to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for an independent review to determine if there is any criminal liability under the Code of Virginia.

All information provided in this release is based on the ongoing investigation and may be subject to revision as the investigation continues. The Fairfax County Police Department and the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office continue to work together to release information and complete a swift, thorough investigation. The Fairfax County Police Department will provide further updates within the next 30 days or as soon as additional information becomes available.”

To read the Fairfax County Police Department’s original release on this investigation,click here

To read the statement provided by the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, click here

Alexandria Police released this information about the incident that led to McKenna’s charge, according to WUSA-9:

On January 15, 2015, at 4:18 p.m., officers were dispatched to Hertz Rental Car, 501 S. Pickett Street, for reports of a customer being disruptive and acting strangely. The first officer to arrive on the scene encountered Ms. McKenna, of no fixed address. After speaking with the officer for a few minutes, McKenna ran from this location in the direction of the BMW dealership, located at 499 S. Pickett Street. Based on the encounter and interviews from staff at Hertz, the officer believed McKenna may have mental health issues.

Another officer arrived and observed McKenna walking towards the Home Depot on Pickett Street. The officer lost sight of the subject and, after a 30 minute search, the officers found McKenna at the Home Depot. They attempted to take her into custody for an involuntary Temporary Detention Order (TDO), however, McKenna ran from the officers again.

Additional officers respond to the area and were able to catch Ms. McKenna, who continued to resist their attempts to take her into custody. She punched one of the officers in the face. Another officer deployed OC Spray and the three ended up fighting on the ground. Other officers arrived and placed McKenna in custody. A hobble restraint device was applied due to her continuing to struggle. While waiting for EMS personnel to respond to perform a wash down of the OC, McKenna attempted to bite the officers and a spit sock (device to prevent spitting and biting) was applied to prevent her from continuing this behavior. EMS arrived and transported McKenna to INOVA Alexandria Hospital. While at the hospital, a Medical Detention Order was obtained and executed. On January 16, the officers transferred custody of McKenna to the medical and security staff at Inova Alexandria Hospital.

The Washington Post reported that McKenna was also sent to Mount Vernon Inova Hospital, where she received more psychiatric care.

WUSA-9 reports that after she left the hospital, on Jan. 26, she walked into the Bestway Grocery story on Telegraph Road just South of the I-495. Workers say she seemed to be dressed in hospital patient clothing. They say she asked to use the phone, and after making the call, left her bag on the counter and walked out the back door.”

The station also reports that while she sat in the adult detention center for a week she reportedly did not see a mental health specialist. It’s uncertain why she was there so long. WUSA-9 reports that Alexandria Police refused to come and pick her up.

WUSA-9 reported that deputies responsible for preparing her for the transfer decided not to wait for the CSB (community services board) employee who works at the jail and who is supposed to help people with mental illness.

WUSA-9 reports that McKenna, who weighed 130 pounds, was tased four times.