US warden arrested after inmate dies of malnutrition

The warden of the oldest prison in Wisconsin and eight other prison employees have been arrested following a probe into the deaths of four inmates in the past year.

Randall Hepp, warden of the maximum-security Waupun Correctional Institution, was arrested shortly before he was due to appear at a briefing to update reporters about the investigation into the deaths.

The Dodge County Sheriff's Office said one man died of dehydration and malnutrition after periodically being denied food and water by guards. The body of another man who died from a stroke was not discovered for around 12 hours.

“It infuriated me seeing the things that were happening in that prison,” Sheriff Dale Schmidt told reporters on Wednesday.

“These people were not cared for,” he continued. “And we are going to hold those responsible accountable.”

Mr Hepp is charged with misconduct in public office.

The other eight employees are charged with inmate abuse. Three of them also are charged with misconduct in office.

Mr Hepp had announced last week that he planned to retire at the end of June.

He faces over three years in prison.

The charges are related to the deaths of two men - Donald Maier, 62, and Cameron Williams, 24.

Mr Williams died of a stroke after suffering a fall, investigators say. He had repeatedly complained of medical distress before the accident, but prison staff members are accused of ignoring him.

Mr Maier died of dehydration and malnutrition after staff allegedly shut off water to his cell and refused to deliver him meals. Guards said he was suffering from mental health issues and had previously flooded his cell.

The Waupun Correction Institution contains 1,001 prisoners, according to Department of Corrections figures from June 2023. It was built in 1851.

In March, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said federal investigators were probing a suspected smuggling operation involving prison employees.