Inmate Mary Brucato Dies at Charleston County’s Al Cannon Detention Center South Carolina
In South Carolina news, 23-year-old Mary Emma Brucato was an inmate in Al Cannon Detention Center when she was found unresponsive in her cell at about 3 p.m. on Monday, August 11, 2025. Lexi Douglas, spokesperson for the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, said that jail deputies, Charleston County EMS, and the North Charleston Fire Department all responded to the scene after being advised of the emergency. Sadly, lifesaving measures were unsuccessful. Ms. Brucato was pronounced deceased in the jail minutes after being discovered.
Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie asked the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division to investigate Ms. Brucato’s death. An internal review will also be conducted by the Office of Professional Standards for the sheriff’s office, per agency protocol.
Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal made the tragic announcement about the identity of the deceased. Ms. O’Neal also said the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) would determine Ms. Brucato’s cause of death after completing its investigation.
SLED is currently conducting a continuing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mary Brucato.
The address of Charleston County’s Al Cannon Detention Center is 3841 Leeds Ave., North Charleston, SC 29405. The Charleston County jail has a maximum capacity of 1,693 detainees.
Al Cannon Detention Center is Scrutinized Over Jail Deaths
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice opened investigations into the Al Cannon Detention Center because of detainee deaths and a record of failure to provide appropriate medical care. The more common causes of death were found to be medical issues, suicide, violence, drug overdoses, and accidents.
Medical reasons and suicide are the two leading causes of death in county and municipal jails. Jail suicides often occur when required supervision is neglected. Many times, a lack of appropriate medical care results in death. The following statistics support this claim:
- Nearly 70% of detainees in city and county jails who suffer from chronic health conditions receive no medical care during their incarceration.
- Of 1,200 inmates who died in local jails in 2019, approximately 46 percent died of a health condition, according to the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics.
D’Angelo Brown Dies of Sepsis in the Custody of Al Cannon Detention Center
When certain medical conditions are ignored, they can–very quickly and predictably–result in death. One type of critical condition is an infection. Simple antibiotics would result in the survival of an infection most of the time. With no antibiotics, an infection can worsen, leading to sepsis, which is often deadly when swift medical treatment is denied.
D’Angelo Brown was suffering in a cell at Al Cannon Detention Center, and his obviously declining health was allegedly ignored. Mr. Brown died in December 2022, and his death was ruled a homicide. His medical conditions leading to death included septic shock, E. coli, and multiple organ system failure.
Richard Hall Dies of Medical Neglect in Howard County Detention Center
Richard E. Hall, 49, had mental health struggles, and he became increasingly ill while incarcerated in Maryland’s Howard County Detention Center, located at 7301 Waterloo Rd. Jessup, MD 20794.
Mr. Hall’s family claims that his deteriorating health over several weeks was ignored, resulting in his death on May 20, 2021. In the end, he was suffering from peritonitis from a burst ulcer. He didn’t eat for two weeks and lost 15 pounds in 14 days. Surveillance video shows that 10 minutes after Mr. Hall’s final movement in his cell, a guard finally opened the door. Mr. Hall was pronounced deceased within minutes.
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