Toxicology tests confirm bacterial meningitis was the cause of death for 36-year-old Rodrico McLeod on Jan. 2.
Peoria Public Radio’s Tanya Koonce reports, he died at the Peoria County Jail, hours after he was arrested for trespassing at UnityPoint Health Methodist Emergency Department.
Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood says toxicology results showed Streptococcus was the organism in McLeod’s system. That’s the most common form meningitis. The Coroner also says McLeod’s toxicology tests were negative for alcohol, opiates, and narcotics.
McLeod was taken from his home by ambulance to Methodist E.D. later in the day on January 1st for a prolonged-intense headache. He was not accompanied by a loved one, and for his family, it’s still unclear how he ended up arrested for trespassing at Methodist E.D. But McLeod was transported from the E.D. to the jail and placed in a detox cell for erratic behavior. That’s where he died hours later.
Ricco McLeod’s family along with the NAACP say, they’re seeking answers and legal counsel.