After being discovered with no pulse in her cell at Kerr County Jail, attempts were made to revive 45-year-old Heather Rodriguez. She died that same day, which was March 16, 2021, and virtually no details were publicly provided indicating what may have caused her death.

Most inmates in Texas county jails die of natural causes and suicide is the second leading cause of death. Evidence from numerous sources has revealed that inmates in county jails are most at risk for suicide in their first week of incarceration. An early study on the topic revealed that 51% of custodial suicides happened within the first 24 hours of being jailed. Of those, 29% happened within the first 3 hours.

Approximately 90% of jail suicides happen by hanging or strangulation. Jail suicide prevention tools include additional television monitors and tearaway blankets, but these approaches treat the symptoms. The most effective ways to prevent jail suicides are to improve staff training and intervention and apply diligence to supervision requirements.

One study showed that the national average as far as the number of inmates per jail staff member is 3.3, though in Texas the average is 3.5 inmates for every staff member. This is significant since increased supervision is directly associated with lower suicide rates.

See Part 1 of this continuing series.

The intended purpose of the blog posts on this website is to provide help to Texas county jail inmates, whether currently or previously incarcerated. There is never an intention on this site to suggest that organizations or individuals have been involved in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor