Death of New Madrid inmate investigated

Standard-Democrat ~ NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The death of a man who died after being in custody is under investigation.

New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens has requested an investigation by the Missouri Highway Patrol into the death of Daniel Presnell. Presnell died Thursday morning at a hospital in Cape Girardeau.

According to Stevens, Presnell was brought to the New Madrid County Jail on Tuesday night by a bail bondsman. Presnell was wanted for failure to appear in court on a charge of receiving stolen property.

Stevens said deputies reported the man appeared intoxicated when he was brought in and was kept overnight at the jail. When his condition failed to improve, authorities took Presnell on Wednesday to Sikeston's Missouri Delta Medical Center, which transferred him to the Cape Girardeau hospital.

Stevens said an autopsy was conducted Thursday afternoon in an attempt to determine a cause of death.