MIDDLETON, Mass. — The death of a 37-year-old Essex County Correctional Officer from Covid 19 complications Thursday night had a devastating impact on staff at the Middleton House of Correction where he worked.
Officer Anthony Pasquarello was a 15 year veteran of the jail
Alex Wilson/union
“It’s a somber mood. A lot of people are struggling,” said Union President Alex Wilson.
Friday morning, Massachusetts State Police and local police departments joined the Sheriff’s department for a procession escorting Pasquarello’s body from Burlington’s Lahey Clinic to the McDonald Funeral Home in Wakefield.
Pasquarello was hospitalized for ten days before succumbing to Covid 19 Thursday night.
Pasquarello leaves behind his six-year-old son, his fiancé, and his parents.
“We’re hurting, but we need to stay strong for his family,” Wilson added.
The Essex County House of Correction has struggled with Covid 19 outbreaks.
Currently, 30 of the institution’s staff and vendors have tested positive for the virus.
And 14 of the House of Correction’s nearly 11-hundred inmates are positive.
76 percent of the jail’s staffers are vaccinated.
On January 4th, the Sheriff’s vaccination mandate for all staffers and vendors goes into effect.
“It’s not something I take very lightly and I do think in the best interest in the public’s safety and officer safety, the mandate should be implemented and enforced,” Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger told me.
Pasquarello’s death at 37 is a shock at the jail.
As far as anyone knows, he had no underlying health issues.
Pasquarello was not vaccinated and his heartbroken family is asking the sheriff to pass along a message.
“Folks should get vaccinated. And as the family says, don’t let what happened to their loved one, happen to someone else,” Sheriff Coppinger said.
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