Man ‘wanted’ by Metro died in police custody in June

A man who police said on social media Thursday was missing and facing battery charges died while in police custody last month.

Christopher Nageli, 45, died June 15 after having a seizure, according to his mother, Paula Cheshire. The Clark County coroner’s office on Friday confirmed Nageli’s death, but the official cause and manner were pending.

Nageli was in custody at the Clark County Detention Center and was taken to University Medical Center where he died, according to the coroner’s office.

The Metropolitan Police Department’s Twitter account posted a video asking the public to help locate Nageli on Thursday night. His face was edited onto a wanted poster next to his outstanding charges and a physical description. The video was still online Friday afternoon.

Metro’s public information office responded around 3:30 p.m. Friday saying the tweet had been taken down.

Nageli had two open cases for battery on a protected person.

Cheshire was Nageli’s legal guardian and was not told that her son had been booked into jail until the day before he died. He allegedly attacked a nurse June 12 at Valley Hospital Medical Center, his mother said.

“He was mentally ill and autistic and in a hospital, and he was not being treated,” Cheshire said. “He needed antipsychotics, and they weren’t giving him what he needed.”

Nageli was trying to leave his room on June 12 when a nursing assistant tried to have him go back inside. He punched her in the stomach and pushed the nurse against the wall, according to his arrest report.

Nageli had schizophrenia and would hallucinate, according to Cheshire.

At Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center on March 29, a nurse was trying to calm Nageli down in his room when he sprung from his bed and punched the nurse in the face, the report said. He then struck the nurse several times after being pushed onto the floor. He was arrested on three counts of battery on a protected person.

Cheshire said she was notified in March when he was taken to jail and was able to call the county jail and let them know of her son’s medical needs. Police transported Nageli from the detention center to Valley Hospital, she said.

“They were negligent,” Cheshire said about her son’s June arrest. “They did not treat him, and you’re supposed to still be taken care of even when you’re in jail when you have issues, and they didn’t.”

Gretchen Papez, a spokeswoman for the Valley Health System said she could not comment on specific patients because of privacy laws.

Nageli was due in Las Vegas Justice Court on June 15 after refusing to be transported on June 13. Court records show he refused transport on June 15, and a note on June 16 read “deceased.” His two open cases have been dismissed.

Contact David Wilson at dwilson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter.