An autopsy concludes that the death of a man who tried to swallow a bag of cocaine this summer at the Dona Ana County Detention Center was caused by accidental choking.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the autopsy conclusions are consistent with earlier findings by authorities.
Hermilo C. Salcedo died on Aug. 5 after being arrested three days earlier on drug charges.
Authorities say an officer doing a full-body search of Salcedo found a bag of cocaine that the inmate later tried to swallow.
Salcedo choked, lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest.
The bag was removed, and Salcedo was resuscitated, but the autopsy report says there were no signs of brain activity.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.