On August 18, 2023, the Nueces County Sheriff’s Department filed a custodial death report (CDR) for Texas Surratt. The CDR indicates that nothing is known about his cause of death, and autopsy results are pending. The summary of how Mr. Surratt’s death occurred is lengthy, though all of the activity occurred on July 24, 2023, which was the day of his death.

A Detainee at Nueces County Jail Dies on the 6^th Day of Incarceration

Carlos Contreras was booked into Nueces County Jail on September 27, 2022, and died five days later on October 2, 2022. Mr. Contreras was 67 years old, and the custodial death report (CDR) about his death lists “Hemopericardium” as the medical cause of death. The determination of the cause of death was made after the results of the autopsy were known.   

The answer to the question asking if Mr. Contreras received treatment for the medical condition that caused his death after he was admitted to the jail’s jurisdiction, the answer is “unknown.” The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) sets the guidelines for the operation of county and municipal jails, including requirements for providing medical care. Health records should be kept of every aspect of medical care that each detainee receives while incarcerated.

In the next segment of this series, learn about Rule §273.4-Health Records. Also, see Part 1.

Helping Texas jail detainees and their families with resources is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention of suggesting that people or organizations have been involved in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor