At the time of booking into Grayson County Jail in Sherman, Texas, on January 1, 2022, Reatha Sue Robinson exhibited signs of being intoxicated by drugs or alcohol. She also exhibited medical problems—all of which is information gleaned from the custodial death report (CDR). Her cause of death is pending autopsy results, though the medical cause of her September 24, 2022, death is provided as follows: “cirrhosis of the Liver, Sepsis and pneumonia.”

Who is at a Higher-Than-Normal Risk of Developing Sepsis?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anyone can develop sepsis. However, the following groups are people with a higher risk for sepsis:

• Adults age 65 or older
• Anyone with a weakened immune system
• Infants up to 12 months old
• People who have recently been hospitalized or suffered from a severe illness
• Individuals suffering from a chronic medical condition such as cancer, lung disease, kidney disease, and diabetes
• AIDS is an existing health concern
• Individuals who have survived sepsis

Signs and Symptoms of Sepsis

People who have sepsis are in danger because their immune system is greatly compromised. Below and in this continuing series, learn the top signs of a blood infection:

• Reddish or spotted patches on the hands, arms, legs, feet, and other parts of the body are often the first indications that a person’s blood has become infected.

• When a case of sepsis is advanced, the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart and other organs can be negatively affected. As a result, the heart rate may increase or decrease with no apparent cause, such as when periods of exertion cause an increased heart rate.

Learn more in Part 1 and this ongoing series.

This website is meant for Texas county and city jail inmates seeking helpful resources. There is no intention on this site of making insinuations against people or entities regarding participation in wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor