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Sheriff's deputies and on-site nurses give medications to an inmate at Las Colinas Women's Detention Facility in Santee, California, on April 22, 2020. - Inmates and Sheriff's deputies at the prison are practicing COVID-19 measures including wearing masks, staying keeping a safe distance and doing more frequent cleaning at the facility. Photo by Sandy Huffaker / AFP Photo by SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP via Getty Images

A county jail nurse in California faced an involuntary manslaughter charge Thursday after being accused of walking away from an inmate who collapsed in front of her before dying.

Inmate Dies in Front of Watching California Nurse

The report said that the incident happened inside the cell of the 24-year-old inmate, where she collapsed and later on died on the floor.

According to ABC News, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office said that California nurse, Danalee Pascua, will face up to four years in prison if convicted of the charge stemming from the November 11, 2019 death of Elisa Serna. The incident happened at the Las Colinas Detention Facility in the San Diego suburb of Santee.

Based on the report of the Associated Press, the day before Serna died, the inmate was moved into the medical observation unit of the county jail after she reported that she felt dizzy and nauseous.

The prosecutors in the case stated that Serna passed out in front of Pascua the next day, and the nurse did not even check her vital signs. Instead of giving her medical attention, the California nurse left her on the floor for about an hour before she returned alongside other deputies to start the "futile lifesaving measures."

Moreover, the District Attorney's office said the San Diego County Sheriff's Department alerted prosecutors to the case after conducting a separate internal investigation. The sheriff's department of San Diego County offered condolences to the family in a statement Thursday.

Also, the District Attorney's office said the investigation in the case is still ongoing, and there would be a possibility that others may be involved in the alleged involuntary manslaughter.

The District Attorney's office did not immediately respond to an email asking if Pascua had an attorney, but the California nurse was scheduled to be arraigned on November 18.

Inmate's Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against San Diego County

The sheriff's department initially said that 24-year-old inmate Serna died from complications of drug abuse, with a contributing factor of early intrauterine pregnancy. However, her family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the county last year, claiming that the jail staff knew that the inmate had used heroin before she was booked and was vomiting and showing "obvious signs of medical distress." Still, they did not provide her with any medical treatment.

Furthermore, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement that there's nothing more sacred than the sanctity of life, and when that life would be in the custody and care of government officials and enforcers, it must be safeguarded and provided with the appropriate medical care.

Stephan stated that the evidence in the in-custody death of Elisa Serna demonstrated criminal negligence, which contributed to the inmate's death.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: San Diego jail nurse charged with manslaughter in inmate's death -CBS 8 San Diego