A Department of Correction captain and two correction officers have been suspended following the death of a detainee inside his Rikers Island cell early Saturday morning as investigators probe whether required checks were missed or if warning signs of medical distress went unnoticed, THE CITY has learned.<\/p>\n
Ardit Billa, 29, was found dead inside his cell at approximately 12:25 a.m. during a standard cell-check tour at the jail complex\u2019s George R. Vierno Center, the DOC announced over the weekend. Medical staff responded immediately, but Billa was pronounced dead just before 1:00 a.m., according to the department.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His sudden death is the tenth confirmed one of a person in DOC custody so far this year. The department\u2019s policy mandates visual inspection of all cell tiers and cells every 30 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Billa\u2019s aunt, who has been helping coordinate the family\u2019s response, said the family remains in the dark and in shock.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time we try to contact somebody, they put you on hold and they never answer you. That\u2019s the problem I have,\u201d she told THE CITY. \u201cWe have nothing. We just want to know what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
She described her nephew as a kind, sociable young man who came to the U.S. with a green card eight years ago, chasing the American dream.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a nice, sweet kid. He laughed, he smiled. He wasn\u2019t a troublemaker,\u201d she said. \u201cHe loved this country. He wanted to build a life here \u2014 maybe move to New Jersey or upstate New York one day, have a house with a white picket fence.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to his aunt, who asked that her name be withheld, Billa worked a series of construction and restaurant jobs to support himself and dreamed of hitting it big as a music composer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wasn\u2019t someone who wanted things handed to him. He wanted to do it on his own,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His family is now preparing to return his body to Albania for burial.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A jail source familiar with the death said Billa spent his last few days barely, if ever, leaving his cell. The source also said his body had feces on it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A source familiar with his case said that he was diagnosed as schizophrenic by the DOC, based on his intake evaluation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t believe that. That\u2019s not him,\u201d his aunt said. \u201cHe was a people\u2019s person \u2014 he would make friends with the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n