The Delaware Department of Correction reported that two inmates serving life terms for murder died from COVID-19 complications.
The inmates were housed at the James. T. Vaughn Correctional Center and died from complications from serious chronic underlying health conditions.
Both inmates, who were part of a minimum security housing unit that has been closely monitored since April 8, died Wednesday morning, at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus:
Richard Roth, a 69-year-old inmate, died from complications from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Diabetes, Hypertension, and COVID. At the first sign of a fever on April 29, Roth was isolated and a rapid COVID test was administered that returned a positive result. As symptoms developed he was admitted to Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus on May 1. Roth’s condition had deteriorated over the past several days and he had been receiving treatment in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. Roth, of Newark has been in DOC custody since 1999 and was serving a life sentence plus 186 years for 1st Degree Murder, Robbery and Conspiracy.
Peter Schellinger, 64, died from complications of Diabetes, Hypertension, Chronic Kidney Disease, Coronary Artery Disease and COVID. Schellinger was admitted to the prison infirmary and administered a rapid COVID test which returned a positive result. On May 5, as symptoms developed, he was admitted to Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus. Schellinger had declined recommended treatment for a life-threatening underlying chronic condition and was receiving hospice care at the time of his death. Schellinger, of Philadelphia, has been in DOC custody since 1998 and was serving two life sentences for 1st Degree Murder.
The department announced the number of inmate COVID recoveries have reached 57 and that rapid COVID testing has identified 3 additional positive test results, including COVID infections of two asymptomatic inmates.
“Throughout our correctional system, 115 inmates have either recovered or are asymptomatic of illness, leaving only 16 inmates from only one facility who are currently experiencing any symptoms,” correction commissioner Claire DeMatteis said. “Across the country, even after communities successfully bend the curve by reducing new cases and growing recoveries, they have seen that a small percentage of seriously ill COVID patients who are hospitalized with complications from underlying health conditions face growing odds over time that they will not recover, even with the most responsive medical care. We are saddened by today’s deaths of two seriously ill inmates who had been hospitalized for several days. Medical staff are administering aggressive treatment to give our four hospitalized COVID inmate patients the best chance of recovery.”
In the past, the department has been accused of ignoring inmates who have complaints of symptoms.
