The custodial death report (CDR) about the death of Johnny Charles Bradley provides details about the health services he received during his time of incarceration at Rusk County Jail. He entered the jail on February 15, 2023. Mr. Bradley was believed to be hypertensive, the CDR says, but he consistently refused medication and medical treatment. Mr. Bradley was believed to be mentally ill and was on the “Clearing House List” (#826) in the Henderson jail.

How is Extreme Heat Related to Heart Attacks?

During the severe heat in June and July 2023, at least 23 inmates died. According to medical examiners in the various counties, numerous custodial deaths were caused by heart attacks.

There are several illnesses caused by heat exposure in dangerously high temperatures, but the most serious is heat stroke. Heat stroke occurs when the temperature of your body is above 103º F and your body stops sweating, which means that it can no longer keep itself cool.

Heat stroke can also lead to a person experiencing a heart attack. Several devastating things occur when you are having a heat stroke, as follows:

• Your body is no longer able to regulate itself
• Your blood pressure can drop
• You can seize
• You may become unconscious.

Heat stroke is not the only way heat can cause a heart attack. The heart may begin to beat faster, causing strain, because heat causes a shift of blood flow toward the skin.

Learn more in Part 1 and Part 2 of this ongoing series.

Helping Texas county and municipal jail detainees and their families with resources is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention of implicating that persons or institutions have engaged in wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor