The Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Department filed a custodial death report (CDR) on 50-year-old Billy Joe Spann on May 23, 2022. Mr. Spann died on May 19, 2022, less than three weeks after being placed in Ochiltree County Jail in Perryton, Texas. The manner of death is shown as “natural” and the results of an autopsy are pending, though preliminary results suggest that atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease was the cause.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) reports that most complaints against county jails are related to medical care. Sepsis is among the fatal maladies that result in complaints against county jails. Perhaps preventable deaths caused by sepsis should be approached in a way similar to suicide prevention. For instance, research finds patterns indicating certain time periods in which inmates should be carefully supervised in order to prevent self-harm. There are signs of sepsis that can help jailers identify that an inmate is in danger of death unless antibiotics are administered.

Signs of Sepsis

Sepsis, also known as septicemia, is a condition that occurs when your body has an uncommonly severe response to infection. Most often, untreated bacterial infections result in sepsis. The infection can begin anywhere bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites enter your body, including a simple hangnail. The following are common symptoms of sepsis:

• Very low body temperature
• Chills and fever
• Urinating less frequently than usual
• Rapid heartbeat
• Vomiting and nausea
• Weakness or fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Discolored or blotchy skin
• Severe pain
• Clammy skin or sweating

Learn more in Part 1 of this continuing series.

The goal of adding posts to this site is to provide resources beneficial to county jail inmates in Texas. There is never an intention of insinuating that individuals or institutions have participated in wrongs.

–Guest Contributor