Guadalupe County Jail Inmate Margaret Rooney Dies on Day 3
Margaret Elizabeth Rooney, at age 44, was booked into Guadalupe County Jail on July 11, 2024. She died in the jail’s custody two days later. A custodial death report (CDR) about Ms. Rooney was filed by the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office on July 30, 2024, and it indicates that Ms. Rooney was charged with an alcohol/drug offense and was housed in multiple-occupancy medical cell 12.
On July 13 at 7:06 AM, when jail staff were making a shift change, Ms. Rooney was discovered unresponsive. Despite lifesaving efforts, she was pronounced deceased by personnel with emergency medical services (EMS) at 7:14 AM the same day.
The address of the Guadalupe County Jail is 2615 N Guadalupe St, Seguin, TX 78155. The jail has a bed capacity of 598.
Deaths by Overdose are the Third Leading Cause of Deaths in U.S. Jails
Statistics released in 2020 show that overdose is the leading cause of death among individuals recently released from prison. Another study revealed that people who were formerly in prison or jail are 40 times more likely than the general population to die from an opioid overdose. And another tragic statistic involves U.S. jails. Overdoses are the third leading cause of deaths among detainees in our nation’s county and municipal jails.
This begs the question: What responsibility do jails have to prevent overdose deaths? Various resources agree on one treatment to administer to a person who is or may be having an opioid overdose. That treatment is the opioid overdose-reversing medication naloxone. It is also known by other names, and Narcan® is among them. Narcan blocks the brain’s opioid receptors, which can reverse an opioid-related overdose.
Many jails keep naloxone handy, and it saves many lives. But, at least in Texas, current requirements for jails do not include specific protocols for opioid overdoses.
The Danger of Overdose Deaths While in Jail and After Leaving Jail
Many U.S. jails provide people known to have a drug problem with Narcan as they are released from jail. As mentioned above, the number of people who die from an overdose after incarceration is alarming. But, oftentimes, more attention should be given to ensuring that drugs are not smuggled into jails. For instance, in December 2023 in a California jail, the staff responded to four suspected fentanyl overdoses among detainees. All four were administered Narcan, and three survived. The fourth person was pronounced deceased at the scene.
A Law Firm Committed to Assisting Jail Inmates and Their Families
At the Law Offices of Dean Malone, we are interested in providing legal support in cases of jail neglect, abuse, suicide, and jail medical neglect. Our dedicated team focuses on custodial death cases, supporting families who have lost loved ones in county or municipal jails due to potential neglect. We also advocate for former jail detainees in Texas who have suffered life-altering injuries from abuse or neglect.
Free case reviews are available, and we invite you to contact us by phone, text, or through our online form. If you or a loved one has experienced jail abuse or neglect, contact us today. We are available 24/7.
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