The Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced the death of a 76-year-old offender who began showing symptoms of COVID-19 while housed at the Barry Telford Unit in New Boston, Texas, in April.
Frederick Ebanal, 76, was pronounced dead April 23 at a local hospital.
“He had been housed at the Telford Unit in New Boston. Ebanal began showing possible COVID-19 symptoms on April 18th when he was tested for the virus, that initial test returned negative. He was tested again on April 23rd and that test came back positive. He had served 28 years of a 48-year sentence out of Tom Green County. His family refused an autopsy but it is believed that COVID-19 contributed to his death,” according to TDCJ’s website.
TDCJ reported Friday that 41 staff, employees or contractors at Telford have tested positively for COVID-19. TDCJ reported that 26 inmates currently held at Telford have tested positively and that five tests are pending. An additional 664 inmates are being held in medical restriction as a precaution.
Inmates who are sick with the virus or who have a test for the virus pending are held in medical isolation.
