Man dies at Rainforest Recovery Center’s sleep-off area

A Juneau man died Sunday afternoon, alone at the Rainforest Recovery Center sleep-off area.

RRC employees picked up Juneau resident Steven Jay West, 57, at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at a downtown area and admitted him to the sleep-off center. West was intoxicated at the time he was picked up, but he was walking and talking, according to a press release from the Juneau Police Department.

During a routine check at about 4:05 p.m., staff discovered that West was deceased. He was the only client in the sleep-off center at the time. Medics from Capital City Fire/Rescue responded, attempting life-saving measures with no success.

There were no signs of trauma to West, according to JPD, and no foul play is suspected. West was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for an autopsy, and next of kin has been notified.

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