Thursday, 4:30 PM
Cocaine found in system of man who died in police custody
By John C. Drake, Globe Staff
A 25-year-old Brazilian immigrant who died Tuesday after falling ill while in State Police custody had cocaine in his system at the time of his death, preliminary medical reports show.
But it is too early to determine whether the drug played any role in the death of Maxsuel Medeiros of Framingham, said Steve O'Connell, a spokesman for Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett.
Officials will release a cause of death following the results of a toxicology examination. O'Connell did not know when those results would be available.
Medeiros was arrested after a traffic stop Aug. 31 on Interstate 495 near I-93. The driver was allowed to leave. But Medeiros, the passenger in the car, was arrested on outstanding warrants from Framingham District Court charging him with possession and intent to distribute cocaine, the district attorney's office said.
Later that evening, Medeiros fell ill while in custody at the Andover State Police barracks. He was sent to Lawrence General Hospital and then to Massachusetts General Hospital. Medeiros died at 6 a.m. Tuesday after being taken off life support.
Medeiros's family declined to comment today.
