Friday, June 19, 2009

A 26-year-old inmate was found unconscious and submerged in a sick-bay bathtub at the Stock Island jail Thursday morning, ac-cording to the Sheriff's Office.

Clayton Ayers Link, of 140 Pacific Ave. in Tavernier, was in critical condition and apparently unconscious when he was taken to Lower Keys Medical Center, then airlifted to Baptist Hospital in Miami, spokeswoman Becky Herrin said.

Officials on Thursday were trying to determine what happened, but said foul play was not suspected, Herrin said.

"He was alone in the bathroom, and the sick bay area is like being in lockdown," Herrin said. "Inmates can't roam around. They're only allowed out individually."

After hearing the water running for an unusually long time, a corrections officer checked on Link, who had requested a bath after reportedly vomiting around 8:30 a.m., Herrin said.

The corrections officer pulled Link from the tub and immediately began CPR, and jail medical personnel were called to the scene, Herrin said.

Link underwent a routine jail medical exam before he was booked Wednesday night, Herrin said. It was unclear whether he was sick then and admitted to the sick bay, or was put with the other prisoners and got get sick later, Herrin said.

Deputies arrested Link and his father on marijuana possession charges after a 7 p.m. Wednesday raid at their home, reports say. Slightly more than a pound of marijuana, 2 pounds of hash oil, Oxycontin, Alprazolam, pipes, a scale and $400 allegedly was found in Link's bedroom. A small amount of pot was found in his father's bedroom, reports say.

Link was being held on $5,000 bond. His father was released from the Plantation Key jail Thursday morning after posting a $328 bond.