Is Jail Neglect a Widespread Problem in Texas?-Pt.9
A Detainee in a County Jail Froze to Death After Being Locked in the Jail’s Kitchen Freezer Continued
Leaked security camera footage from Walker County Jail, Alabama, told a different story about what happened to the 33-year-old detainee. It shows the detainee’s “near lifeless” body, which appears to be frozen, being carried out of the jail and placed in a vehicle to be taken to the hospital. The man had suffered hours of neglect, which included hours of being locked inside the jail’s walk-in kitchen freezer, before his death on January 26, 2023.
The obvious question is how does a U.S. prisoner in a county facility die of hypothermia in the year 2023?
A Mentally Ill Detainee Was the Victim of Untenable Jail Neglect
A 23-year-old detainee in Harris County Jail, Houston, Texas, who was mentally ill was allowed to languish in his cell in horrid conditions. It was October 2013, and the young man was discovered infested with thousands of gnats and smeared with feces. His cell was littered with scores of food trays. The shower was damaged, and the toilet was clogged. The detainee had shredded his uniform and hung the strips from the ceiling. He also shredded his mattress.
Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8 of this continuing series.
Providing municipal and county jail detainees in Texas with helpful resources is one of this website’s purposes. Suggesting that a person or entity has engaged in wrongdoing is never intended.
–Guest Contributor
smchugh
smchugh