From June 11, 2022, until the day of his death several months later on September 5, Miguel Angel Garcia was an inmate at Hidalgo County Jail in Edinburg, Texas. During booking, notes about Mr. Garcia include that he exhibited medical and mental health problems. The cause of death is still unknown, but the custodial death report (CDR) on Mr. Garcia’s passing indicates that he received medical treatment for the condition that caused his death. Under “medical cause of death” in the CDR, it states that Mr. Garcia was diagnosed with medical conditions that included severe cirrhosis of the liver.

Hidalgo County Jail is Cited for Non-Compliance Related to Jail Overcrowding

A Notice of Non-Compliance Report was issued to Hidalgo County Jail on July 12, 2022. The two standards cited as violations involve overcrowding. Under Rule §259.138-Holding Cells, parts (a) and (a)(3) are cited.

Requirements Under Rule §259.138(a) and Alleged Non-Compliance

The holding cells that must be provided for inmates being held for temporary purposes must not be occupied by any one inmate for more than 48 hours.

• In response to a complaint, records were reviewed and it was found that an inmate remained in a holding cell from May 27, 2022, through June 3, 2022. Administration officials with the jail stated that this was due to overcrowding.

Requirements Under Rule §259.138(a)(3) and Alleged Non-Compliance

This rule pertaining to city and county jails specifies construction details on the size of holding cells. It also states the amount of space that each inmate must have in the cells.

• Documentation was provided by the jail administration at Hidalgo County Jail on July 5, 2022. The documentation reveals that the holding cell capacity was exceeded by 72 inmates.

See Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this ongoing series.

With the goal of assisting city and county jail inmates, this website posts information of potential benefit. There is never an intention of implicating institutions or individuals in connection with misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor