44°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7 Day Forecast
Follow our weather team on social media

The WBRZ Investigative Unit is here for you.

We are committed to serving our community. Watch our in-depth Investigative Unit reports throughout the day on WBRZ.com and the 6pm WBRZ News 2 newscast.  Check back daily for new reports and essential information from our team.

Send tips to investigate@wbrz.com

West Baton Rouge Parish Jail sees fourth inmate death this year

PORT ALLEN — Smuggled-in drugs continue to cause serious problems in what is supposed to be a secure facility.

26-year-old Nicholas Henderson was found dead in his lockdown isolation cell Sunday at the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail. Henderson's is the fourth inmate death in the facility this year.

Ryan Moreau, in March, was the first. He died after taking an unknown substance. Two other inmates were arrested for his death.

In May, Unterio Lewis died from an overdose of cocaine and fentanyl.

In August, Jeremy Paul and two other inmates were found unresponsive in their cells after taking mojo. Paul died. WBRZ spoke to Paul's partner.

"I do feel that the drugs shouldn't be in the facility, however it got there, and however the other two inmates survived the same drugs that Jeremy took. I would like for them to be investigated as well," said Shingo Edwards. 

Nicholas Henderson, the same man found dead in his cell Sunday morning, was charged in Paul's death for providing the mojo.

According to the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, Henderson was involved in a bad fight on Friday that sent another inmate to the hospital. Deputies said that on Sunday morning, Henderson was given his breakfast and showed no signs of distress; however, just a couple of hours later, he was found unresponsive. They were not able to resuscitate him.

It's unclear who the injured inmate is, or his condition, but Henderson had been moved to an isolation cell with another inmate after the fight.

The sheriff's office declined any interviews on Monday, but did say in a news release about Henderson's death that they have conducted several shakedowns at the jail lately.

According to the release, those shakedowns resulted in "several arrests and the removal of contraband."

There is no official cause of death for Henderson yet, as a full autopsy is pending.

Right now, the sheriff's office is actively investigating how drugs keep getting inside the facility.

Grid
List
PORT ALLEN — Smuggled-in drugs continue to cause serious problems in what is supposed to be a secure facility. ... More >>
3 months ago Monday, September 08 2025 Sep 8, 2025 Monday, September 08, 2025 7:22:00 PM CDT September 08, 2025 in News
BATON ROUGE — Scotlandville Magnet High School Principal Paul Jackson, who has worked at the school for more than a... More >>
3 months ago Friday, September 05 2025 Sep 5, 2025 Friday, September 05, 2025 10:18:00 AM CDT September 05, 2025 in News
BATON ROUGE - A woman claims she was sexually assaulted by Donald Steele earlier this year. WBRZ has agreed... More >>
3 months ago Wednesday, September 03 2025 Sep 3, 2025 Wednesday, September 03, 2025 7:25:00 PM CDT September 03, 2025 in News
WHITE CASTLE — White Castle Fire Department Fire Chief John Marque allegedly battered one of the department's firefighters, White Castle... More >>
3 months ago Tuesday, September 02 2025 Sep 2, 2025 Tuesday, September 02, 2025 9:37:00 AM CDT September 02, 2025 in News
BATON ROUGE - In a little more than a week, former Baton Rouge police officer Donald Steele will be sentenced... More >>
3 months ago Sunday, August 31 2025 Aug 31, 2025 Sunday, August 31, 2025 6:37:00 PM CDT August 31, 2025 in News
ROSELAND - A text message is how the majority of employees at Smitty's found out they no longer had jobs.... More >>
3 months ago Tuesday, August 26 2025 Aug 26, 2025 Tuesday, August 26, 2025 6:44:00 PM CDT August 26, 2025 in News
ROSELAND — While the public waits for an explanation into what caused a massive explosion at Smitty's in Roseland, a... More >>
3 months ago Monday, August 25 2025 Aug 25, 2025 Monday, August 25, 2025 6:55:00 PM CDT August 25, 2025 in News
VILLE PLATTE - The WBRZ Investigative Unit has been looking into how a recently released Elayn Hunt inmate ended up... More >>
4 months ago Monday, August 18 2025 Aug 18, 2025 Monday, August 18, 2025 6:53:00 PM CDT August 18, 2025 in News
BATON ROUGE — The family of Treylin Deville was told their loved one was being brought to a group home... More >>
4 months ago Thursday, August 14 2025 Aug 14, 2025 Thursday, August 14, 2025 3:47:00 PM CDT August 14, 2025 in News
A man who was released from Elayn Hunt Correctional Center was found dead a day later, 80 miles from where... More >>
4 months ago Wednesday, August 13 2025 Aug 13, 2025 Wednesday, August 13, 2025 6:59:00 PM CDT August 13, 2025 in News
PORT ALLEN — West Baton Rouge Parish officials said Wednesday that a former mayor of Port Allen who once served... More >>
4 months ago Wednesday, August 13 2025 Aug 13, 2025 Wednesday, August 13, 2025 3:40:00 PM CDT August 13, 2025 in News
BATON ROUGE - The state of Louisiana is suing the Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association over their accounting following a malfeasance... More >>
4 months ago Tuesday, August 12 2025 Aug 12, 2025 Tuesday, August 12, 2025 3:47:00 PM CDT August 12, 2025 in News

News tip form

Desktop News

Click to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Radar
7 Days