A Central Florida man detained outside of a DeLand drug house during a narcotics search warrant Wednesday had a medical emergency and was later pronounced deceased after hiding several plastic bags of drugs in his mouth.
Detectives were executing the search warrant at S. Clara Ave., DeLand, around 10:30am on Wednesday following an undercover investigation into drug sales from the house.
Five people from inside the house were detained and seated outside.
One of them, 54-year-old Cornell McKinney, was not verbally responding to detectives’ attempts to get his information.
Detectives suspected that McKinney may be trying to conceal or swallow narcotics and implored him several times to open his mouth and spit out whatever he was chewing on. McKinney refused. Detectives called in medical assistance, and the DeLand Fire Department responded.
McKinney continued to refuse to cooperate, then became unresponsive. Fire personnel began life-saving measures and recovered three plastic baggies from McKinney’s mouth/throat, two of which contained suspected heroin/fentanyl and crack cocaine.
McKinney was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. His next of kin was notified of his passing, according to local law enforcement.
DeLand code enforcement officers also responded to the address and posted notices on the house deeming it unsafe for occupancy.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Major Case Unit is conducting a thorough investigation, and official determination of McKinney’s cause of death is pending an autopsy by the medical examiner.
