CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A fifth Mecklenburg County inmate has died since May and the sheriff's office is calling for more investigators to look into the issue.

The sheriff's department says they are investigating the death of 33-year-old Karla Griffin from an apparent suicide. She had been in custody since Sept. 27 on a fugitive charge from Carlifornia. She was housed at Jail North on Spector Drive. 

Sheriff Irwin Carmichael says they make safety checks on inmates twice an hour and all detention officers have training in the mental health realm. They say Griffin's behavior was not out of the ordinary as she talked with jail staff Tuesday.

"We actually have two mental health counselors. They're on duty 24/7 and they're available anytime," Maj. David Hill with sheriff's department said.

The sheriff also says they have been able to intervene in nine suicide attempts this year, and 21 last year.