Rikers inmate dies of overdose, DOC staffers facing suspension

A Rikers Island inmate locked up on burglary charges died of an overdose — and jail staffers are facing discipline following “violations” in their response, corrections officials said Tuesday.

Felix Taveras, 40, complained of pain while being held in Anna M. Kross Correctional Facility around 11:55 p.m. Monday and was taken to the clinic for medical care, a spokesman for the city’s Department of Correction said.

Law enforcement sources said Narcan was administered multiple time💫s.

Tavera🌼s was later transported to Elmhurst Hoܫspital, where he died of an overdose just before 1:30 a.m., the agency said.

“Based on preliminary departmental review, procedural violations were discovered and suspensions will be issued,” a spokesman said but did not provide details of the offenses.

Tave♛ras was arrested on March 28 in connection to a burglary on Staten Island and held on $30,000 bail, according to jail and court records.

The DOC spokesman said the death is under investigation and notifications have been made to all appropriate agencies, including Rikers’ federal monitor and the Board of Correction.

The monitor admonished the agency in May for failing to alert tᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚhe watchdog of multiple dangerous incidents in a timely manner as is required by court orders.

The death marks at least the fourth in-custody death this year, on the heels of a particu🎃larly deadly 2022, when 19 inmates died behind bars.

The DOC no longer issues press releases when an inmate dies in custody as part of a significant shift in 🦄policy earlier this year, which led to two deaths initially going unreported.

The president of the Correction Officer’s Benevolent Association, Benny Boscio, defended the officers Tuesday, saying they shouldn’t be blamed for “circumstances beyond their control.”

“We are damned if we do, damned if we don’t, while the inmates violate the rules and regulations with impunity,” Boscio added. 

The union did not respond to ques✅tions askin🃏g what rules were allegedly violated or how many corrections officers potentially face discipline.