Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of an 84-year-old inmate from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office South County Jail in Frostproof, who died at a hospital in Sebring early this morning.
On Saturday, June 22, 2019 at about 9:37 p.m., Arthur Francis Gilmore of Lakeland, fell near the top of the stairs and struck his head on the floor. Detention deputies immediately tended to him, and discovered his only visible injury was a minor laceration to the right side of his forehead. He was taken to the jail medical facility where he was treated and placed on “head-watch” to monitor his condition. During this time, Gilmore was responsive and speaking, and stated that he fell and tried unsuccessfully to catch the safety railing.
During the investigation, an inmate confirmed Gilmore’s account, saying that it appeared that he missed a step. The inmate also stated that there were no other inmates around Gilmore when he fell.
At about 11:57 p.m., Gilmore became unresponsive, and he was transported to Advent Health-Sebring. Gilmore was pronounced deceased at 12:49 a.m., Sunday, June 23, 2019.
Gilmore has been in the Polk County Jail since June 5, 2019, after he was charged with violation of probation for having contact with a child. His probation stemmed from a 2009 Polk County case, wherein he pled guilty in 2011 to five counts of Attempted Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12. He was sentenced to 10-years in Florida State Prison and was released from there in February of 2018.
The investigation is ongoing. It is standard PCSO policy for four separate, independent investigations. The PCSO completes a death investigation and administrative (internal) investigation. The Polk County Medical Examiner conducts the autopsy to determine the manner and cause of death. All the investigative findings are forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office for their investigation and review.