Police investigating woman's death in Salt Lake County Jail

A Holladay woman died Sunday morning in jail, less than a week after her arrest.

Police are trying to figure out what happened. A Salt Lake County Jail worker discovered Alexa Hamme, 25, unresponsive in her cell about 5:20 a.m., according to jail spokeswoman Cammie Skogg. Hamme had been housed in a general population cell after arrest June 24 on suspicion of drug crimes. Skogg said there were no signs of trauma or foul play.

Skogg said the medical examiner is attempting to determine cause of death.

West Jordan police arrested Hamme while doing a welfare check on a Salt Lake County home, court documents reveal. Hamme reportedly was in the garage but ran inside the home when police identified themselves. The documents state that Hamme eventually handed over methamphetamine to officers and admitted she used it.

Skogg added that Hamme was booked into jail on suspicion of meth and heroin possession, as well as endangerment of a child or adult, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to stop at the command of a police officer. She also had outstanding warrants for drugs and failure to stop for police.

In the wake of the incident, at least some of Hamme's family are looking for answers. Her father, Scott Ingalls, said police haven't provide him with any information because Hamme was adopted by her stepfather. Ingalls didn't even know where Hamme's body was in the days following her death.

Ingalls added that Hamme was a "funny" young woman who had struggled with drug addictions in recent years.

Calls to Hamme's mother and adoptive father were not returned Tuesday afternoon.

jdalrymple@sltrib.com

Twitter: @jimmycdii