Man suffers fatal seizures a few hours following his imprisonment

About 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon, police arrested 24-year-old Humberto Torres in Colton.
About four hours later, he was dead.

Arden Wiltshire, a San Bernardino Sheriff's Department spokeswoman, said Torres had begun exhibiting seizure-like symptoms while being booked into San Bernardino's Central Detention Center.

After jail medical personnel called paramedics, Torres was transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, where he was pronounced dead about 6:30 p.m., according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office.

Cristina Torres, Humberto Torres's mother, said her son had been riding in a car with friends when police pulled them over Thursday.

Humberto Torres had been on probation for a drinking-related violation and was arrested for being drunk, she said.

Cristina Torres said that about 5 p.m., Humberto called to tell her what had happened.
"He never had any seizures before in his life," she said.

She said that when her husband went to the Coroner's Office on Friday morning, staff refused to allow him to see his son's body.

Instead, they gave him photographs showing bruises on the body, Cristina Torres said.
"They're hurting us so much, and I'm feeling like the police is the
one who has something to do with this," she said.

The sheriff's homicide detail is investigating the case, which is typical protocol when someone dies in custody, Wiltshire said.

She said she did not know details regarding the family's visit to the coroner's office.

Riverside County Coroner's Office will conduct the autopsy, which is also normal procedure, she added.

Friday afternoon, friends and family gathered at the Torres home in Rialto for a barbecue to support Humberto Torres' parents and siblings.

Cristina Torres said her son loved his family, worked hard and always relished a good party.
Contact writer Charlotte Hsu at (909) 386-3882 or via e-mail at charlotte.hsu@sbsun.com.