USA: Transgender Rikers inmate found dead allegedly ignored by guards

A silent and unresponsive Layleen Polanco — the transgender inmate found dead in her Rikers Island cell last week — was ignored by guards for nearly two hours before they tried to help, a jailhouse eyewitness is claiming.

Layleen Polanco, 27, was declared dead at 3:45 pm on June 7, according to the Department of Correction, in a case sparking outrage from LGBTQ activists and fuelling lawmakers’ calls for criminal justice reform.

By the time guards made the rounds at around 1 pm and knocked on her cell, there was no answer from Polanco, the inmate said.

«Must be asleep», a guard said, the witness claimed.

Only after the session ended, at around 2:50 p.m. did a captain — for whatever reason — order guards to open Polanco’s cell.