N.C. Corrections Officer Dies after Medical Emergency

A North Carolina corrections officer died after suffering a medical emergency following an inmate incident at the facility she worked at last week.

Corrections Officer Helen Mae Smith responded to an incident involving an offender at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution in Elizabeth City, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety stated in a news release. As she was returning to her post, Smith began experiencing medical distress.

She was taken to the hospital, where she died several hours later.

“She was a terrific officer, very dedicated and committed,” Pasquotank Warden Daniel Everett stated. “Our work family mourns with her family on her very tragic passing. This is a sad day for us all.”

Smith had worked at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution since April 2019.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Smith’s family during this difficult time,” Secretary of Public Safety Eddie Buffaloe Jr. stated. “She had a great reputation and was dedicated to her job; this is a huge loss for our DPS family.”