Jail inmate airlifted after hanging himself in cell

On the evening of July 19, at approximately 6:44 p.m., Corrections Officers with the Newton County Jail were alerted that an inmate in C pod had strangled himself. David Allen Schultz, 34, of Sheldon, Ill. He was discovered by fellow inmates who called for the officers. Corrections Officers responded to C pod and found Schultz, who had secured a sheet to the top bunk then secured it around his neck. CPR was started by the Corrections Officers and continued until Kentland medical personnel and the Newton County Ambulance staff arrived at the jail.

Schultz was then transported to Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka, Ill. where he was listed in critical condition. Later that evening, after further examination, he was airlifted to St. Francis Hospital in Peoria, Ill. On Friday afternoon, at around 4:20 p.m., he died as a result of his injury.

Schultz had been incarcerated at the Newton County Jail in Kentland since Tuesday afternoon after being arrested in Porter County on a warrant for Newton County for failure to report to the jail to serve weekends for a charge of Driving While Suspended.

Detective Dustin Gary is investigating the incident at this time.