Delaware flag

The Delaware Department of Correction said a 60-year-old inmate serving a murder sentence died March 20 at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus after his health deteriorated while in custody.

DOVER, Del. — The Delaware Department of Correction announced Friday that a 60-year-old inmate has died while in custody.

Donald Lake, who was housed at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, was pronounced dead at 9:50 a.m. March 20 at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus, according to the department.

The Delaware DOC said Lake had been receiving treatment for significant chronic health conditions while in custody, including both inpatient and outpatient care. He was transported to the hospital in late February for further treatment, where his condition worsened according to the department. The Delaware DOC said he was later placed on comfort care.

Lake, from Laurel, had been in custody since 2011 and was serving a 19-year sentence for second-degree murder.

The department said victim services are available for those in need of assistance.

Tags

Locations

Reporter

Emma Aken joined CoastTV News in July of 2024, after graduating from Penn State with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a minor in business. While at CoastTV, she’s reported on everything from breaking news, continued investigative coverage, spot news, development stories and a variety of other local issues.

Emma is currently the Weekend Anchor, producing and anchoring the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts on Saturdays and Sundays.While at Penn State, she was involved in Penn State Network News, where she grew even more passionate about the news industry. Emma is from Rochester, New York. She loves summer, traveling and spending time with her friends and family. For as long as she can remember, Emma has enjoyed writing, filming and storytelling. She is honored to tell the stories of those along the coast.

To contact her with story ideas, email her at eaken@wrde.com.

Recommended for you