A Wayne County woman died after becoming unresponsive while in police custody Wednesday evening, according to New York State Police.
Troopers said Marchelle D. Sharkey, 37, of Ontario, was arrested earlier in the day following a child welfare investigation at a residence on Hennessey Road in the town of Walworth.
Authorities said troopers responded around 3:50 p.m. alongside Wayne County Child Protective Services, which reported that multiple children had been left unattended for an extended period without adequate supervision or food. Sharkey was charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
She was taken into custody without incident and processed at State Police in Williamson before being transported to the Wayne County Jail for arraignment.
At approximately 8 p.m., while arriving at the jail, Sharkey became unresponsive inside a patrol vehicle, police said.
Troopers immediately began emergency medical care, administering Narcan and using an automated external defibrillator while requesting EMS assistance. Emergency responders continued lifesaving efforts and transported Sharkey to Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation. The New York State Attorney General’s Office was notified and responded to the scene, as required in cases involving in-custody deaths.
Sharkey’s body was taken to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy will determine the cause and manner of death.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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