Inmate Commits Suicide in Rockdale, Texas Jail

The Rockdale Police Department in Texas filed a custodial death report with the Texas Attorney General regarding the death of Renee Erlinda Serna.  Ms. Serna was only 27 years of age at the time of her death.  Information in this post was obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

Ms. Serna was arrested on June 28, 2018.  She was allegedly interviewed at approximately 3:03 p.m. that day by law enforcement personnel.  She was then put into a holding cell at the Rockdale Police Department Station.  Ms. Serna was later found in the cell, apparently having committed suicide by hanging.  She was pronounced deceased that afternoon.

Police officers and jailers in Texas have constitutional duties to provide reasonable medical and mental healthcare to inmates who evidence that such care is needed, and they also have a duty to protect pretrial detainees who are held in their custody.  If officers believe or reasonably should believe that a person might harm himself or herself, then officers must do their best to protect that person.  If they fail to do so, then they might be liable for damages pursuant to 42 U.S.C.§ 1983.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.