Harris County Jail Inmate Dies at Hospital After Medical Emergency; Texas Rangers Investigating

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A 68-year-old Harris County Jail inmate died at a Houston hospital two days after suffering a medical emergency while serving a 90-day sentence, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Quang Hoang Trong was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Hospital at 5:29 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24.

Trong had been hospitalized since Sept. 22, when he suffered a medical emergency. The Sheriff’s Office did not provide details about the nature of the emergency.

Trong was initially booked into the Harris County Jail on Sept. 8 and was serving a 90-day sentence for failure to register as a sex offender.

His death has been reported to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

The Texas Rangers are investigating the death as required by state law, which calls for deaths in county jails to be investigated by an outside law enforcement agency.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Division is conducting a separate investigation to determine whether applicable policies and procedures were followed. The agency said the internal review is standard following the death of a person in custody.

Trong had been required to register as a sex offender since April 1989. He had been convicted of Sexual Assault. The victim was a 25-year-old woman.

Trong’s cause and manner of death had not been determined. An autopsy will be conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.