Man dies in Yeadon holding cell, woman nearly dies leaving residents outraged and seeking answers

YEADON, Pa. - Outrage in Delaware County after a second person was found hanging in a holding cell at a police station.

There was a lot of yelling, screaming and finger pointing, as well as accusations at a special Yeadon Borough Council meeting. It comes after a 34-year-old woman was gravely hurt trying to hang herself in a police holding cell Tuesday.

"Aren’t you all tired? We’re sick of it. This just doesn’t make sense and battling about everything else as opposed to the lives that are taking place in our jail cell," resident Leslie Lewis-McGrath questioned.

It is the second incident in a police holding cell in four months. Back in July, 22-year-old Shawn Morcho took his life.

"Did you have a meeting with the police department the first time someone lost their life? Did you find out if the cameras were on? Did you find out changes that should have been made because this should not have happened," resident Penny McDonald exclaimed.

Followed by resident Liz Alecknavage, "After Shawn Morcho died, you confessed you knew the holding cells were dangerous 20 years ago."

Council president also questioned how it could happen twice.

"Where are the police? Where are they?" Yeadon Borough Council President Sharon Council-Harris questioned.

The mayor said the police department is short-staffed and the Department of Justice is investigating both deaths. He says prisoners will no longer be brought to the holding cells.

"I reached out to the DA who is assisting us in the investigation and who is assisting us in placing prisoners in other neighboring holding cells," Yeadon Mayor Rohan Hepkins explained.

Among those squeezed into the tiny borough council room was the cousin of Shawn Morcho.

"It just brought back the memories. The trauma and, unfortunately, it brought back exactly what we predicted. If it happened to Shawn today, it could happen to somebody else tomorrow and it did happen," cousin Joar Dahn said.