A Mother Pleads for Answers About Her Son’s Death in a Texas County Jail

Nineteen of the inmates who recently died in two Texas county jails were represented by family members who showed up at a recent meeting of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) to somehow express their concerns. One woman informed the Commission that it had been almost a year since her son’s death and she still has no clue what happened to him and why he died. Some details from his custodial death report (CDR) follow.

An Inmate’s Death in a Texas County Jail Involves Questionable Possibilities

A 31-year-old inmate at the county jail this series’ headline refers to died in March 2022 of unknown causes. No detailed clues as to health problems are indicated other than one vague note made during intake. Although it shows “unknown” in answer to whether the man was intoxicated, suicidal, or possibly mentally ill, the answer is “yes” to whether he exhibited medical problems.

Autopsy results are noted as pending but have not been added with an amended custodial death report. The summary of how his death occurred states that the decedent was sent to the medical clinic after advising jail staff that he was not feeling well. According to medical personnel, before his death, the inmate had suffered from an altered mental state because of one of two possible things:

• Possible head trauma or
• Ingestion of an unknown substance.

Both of these possibilities raise further questions about what may have occurred.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and this ongoing series.

Out of a desire to provide helpful resources to Texas municipal and county jail inmates, this website was created. There is never an intention of insinuating that anyone or any organization has been a participant in wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor