The man had a medical emergency while in a holding area at Manhattan court, according to the city Department of Correction

A 37-year-old man died in a city jail on Rikers Island early Wednesday, the first death in the system in 2025, according to officials and sources. The man, identified by sources as Ramel Powell, had been held in the Otis Bantum Correctional Center.

The deaths were the first in 2025 to be connected to the Rikers Island jail complex, which may be taken over by a court-appointed receiver.

The city Department of Correction said it was still investigating the death and had no further details on how the person died.

A Rikers Island inmate died while in custody on Monday, marking the second in-custody death of 2025, less than a week after the death of another inmate, according to the New York City Department of Correction.