Ketoacidosis is a Common Cause of Death in Jails

Preventable deaths should never occur in jails, yet they frequently do and ketoacidosis is among the causes. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a preventable condition that is only deadly when diabetes goes untreated. Specifically, DKA is a buildup of acids known as ketones in your bloodstream, and the condition is developed when blood sugar has remained too high for too long. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes that can lead to a diabetic coma or death, though it takes many hours for the condition to become serious.

An investigative report on jails in a state outside of Texas revealed that 12 people in either a jail or prison had died of ketoacidosis in that state.

An Inmate Dies of DKA 8 Days After Being Booked into a County Jail

A 41-year-old diabetic who had been insulin-dependent since his 20s got arrested because of a tussle when he was changing buses to get home. When he was booked, his blood sugar was 4 times the normal range. He should have been hospitalized at that time. Instead, he was booked into the jail. Four days later, he was transferred to a hospital and after another 4 days, he died of ketoacidosis. 

See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 of this ongoing series.

Implying that any individual or organization has been a participant in wrongdoing is not intended on this site. This website offers posts as helpful resources to assist Texas county jail inmates. 

–Guest Contributor