Oklahoma inmate suing over alleged "Baby Shark" torture found dead in his cell

An Oklahoma County inmate found dead in his jail cell over the weekend was a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the county alleging that in 2019, he and other inmates were tortured by jail employees who forced them to repeatedly listen to the children's song "Baby Shark" for hours.

John Basco, 48, was found unresponsive in his cell early Sunday morning, Oklahoma County Detention Center officials said in a news release. He was pronounced dead after jail workers began lifesaving efforts, they said. Basco's death is the 14th this year at the jail, which has faced criticism over inmate deaths, escapes and other incidents.

Jail spokesman Mark Opgrande said there were no obvious signs of foul play and that investigators will look into the possibility of a drug overdose. The State Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause of death.