On July 23, 2023, a Rusk County Sheriff’s Office staff member found Johnny Charles Bradley unresponsive on his bed. Mr. Bradley, age 61, was in the single occupancy cell where he was housed at Rusk County Jail in Henderson, Texas. Jail staff administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency medical services were called. Mr. Bradley was transported by ambulance to UT Health in Henderson. There he was pronounced deceased at 5:15 PM the same day.

A Texas Plan for the Care of Detainees Sensitive to Excessive Heat

A focus on preparation to prevent heat-related illnesses among detainees, through one Texas program, begins on April 15^th each year. Prior to that date, any preventative maintenance or necessary repairs to cooling equipment must be completed.

Jail staff and medical personnel must be trained with regard to excessive temperature conditions. Throughout the duration of excessive heat periods, refresher training is provided on a frequent and regular basis.

Efforts are made to increase communication between the jail staff and medical personnel in promptly identifying and communicating the needs of detainees with medical conditions which make them susceptible to temperature-related illnesses. Normal checks of detainees in housing areas should include wellness checks for detainees identified as sensitive to the heat.

Staff should also be trained in evaluating all heat-related illnesses, including the conditions that surrounded the incident, such as location, water intake, and what the detainee was doing before becoming ill.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this 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