27-Year-Old Denton County Jail Detainee Dies

The Denton County Sheriff’s Department, in Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Heath Aaron Vandeventer. Mr. Vandeventer was only 27 years old at the time of his death. We provide information we obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“Inmate Heath Vandeventer (DOB xx/xx/xxxx) was booked into the Denton County Jail on July 8, 2023 for the charge of Assault Against Elderly or Disabled. At the time of booking, a medical intake assessment was conducted. Inmate Vandeventer refused to participate in this assessment. In accordance with the instructions for the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments, Inmate Vandeventer was placed under suicide precautions due to his refusal to answer questions.

Denton County Correctional Health attempted on multiple occasions to perform a medical assessment of Inmate Vandeventer which included a psychiatric examination. Inmate Vandeventer refused to participate in the evaluations.

On September 12, 2023, at approximately 12:55PM, a Denton County Jail detention officer and a Denton County Correctional Health staff member went to the cell occupied by Inmate Vandeventer to perform a routine check of vital signs. Inmate Vandeventer was observed in a seated position on the floor sitting on a safety smock with his upper torso leaning forward.

Denton County Jail supervisors and additional Denton Correctional Health staff members were notified. Inmate Vandeventer was determined to be deceased based on a lack of pulse.

The Texas Rangers are conducting the in-custody death investigation. The results of this investigation are pending.

Autopsy results were received on January 2, 2024, from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. Dehydration was listed as the cause of death and the manner of death was undetermined.”

The report notes that Mr. Vandeventer only became dehydrated after his incarceration, but that no medical treatment was provided to him.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.