Jefferson County Inmate Timothy Browne Dies in a Colorado Hospital
In Colorado news dated December 5, 2025, a man died in the custody of the Jefferson County Jail on Thursday after being transferred to a hospital for treatment of a pre-existing condition.
The deceased inmate has been identified as Timothy Allen Browne, 58, who was booked into Jefferson County Detention Facility on November 19, 2025.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), Mr. Browne was transported to a hospital on November 24 for treatment related to an “ongoing progressive illness.” Timothy Browne was pronounced deceased on December 4 while under medical care.
JCSO reports that a formal investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Browne’s death is now in progress. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office is expected to determine and release the official cause of death in the coming days.
For families seeking answers after a loss in custody, independent inquiries and medical findings often play a critical role in understanding what occurred and whether appropriate care was provided.
Jefferson County Jail is at 200 Jefferson County Pkwy, Golden, Colorado 80401, and is also known as the Jefferson County Detention Facility. The total bed capacity of the Jefferson County jail system is approximately 150.
Colorado Jail Death Raises Serious Questions About Medical Care Provided to Inmate Daniel Foard
The parents of Daniel Foard, a 32-year-old man who died in Colorado’s La Plata County Jail in August 2023, believe he died as a result of medical neglect. They allege that jail staff and contracted medical personnel ignored obvious signs of a medical emergency, leaving Mr. Foard in severe pain for many hours before he was ultimately found deceased in his cell.
When Mr. Foard was booked into the jail, he reported regular fentanyl use. For that reason, he was initially placed in a monitored area for opioid withdrawal. Allegedly, his condition changed significantly once he was transferred out of that observation unit and into a general housing cell on August 15. Deputies noted he was collapsing, unable to stand steadily, and visibly unwell. Despite these reports, the day-shift nurse allegedly allowed him to be moved and declined additional medical intervention.
By the following morning, August 16, deputies witnessed Mr. Foard repeatedly falling while attempting to retrieve his breakfast tray. When the nurse assessed him, he reported sharp abdominal pain rated “10 out of 10.” Allegedly, although his symptoms were severe, no emergency transport or physician consultation was ordered. Instead, Mr. Foard was placed alone in an empty cell “for monitoring,” with no instructions given to deputies about the seriousness of his condition.
Throughout the day, Mr. Foard continued vomiting—so extensively that he was moved from cell to cell as each became soiled. Surveillance video reportedly shows him crawling across the floor, repeatedly calling out for help, and yelling that he needed to go to a hospital. Allegedly, no medical staff entered his cell to reassess him during this period, and one deputy could be heard telling him to “try to hit the drain” with his vomit.
An evening-shift nurse allegedly walked past his cell but did not check vital signs or respond to his continued pleas for help. When she eventually entered the cell around 10 p.m., Mr. Foard was already deceased.
An autopsy later determined that Mr. Foard died from peritonitis, an infection caused by a perforated ulcer in his small intestine. This is a serious condition that allows digestive fluids to leak into the abdominal cavity, leading to severe inflammation and, without urgent treatment, death. Although fentanyl was found in his system, the medical examiner did not attribute his death to drug use.
Mr. Foard’s family states that they seek accountability and hope to create a catalyst for meaningful changes in how vulnerable individuals are treated while incarcerated.
The address of La Plata County Jail, also known as the La Plata County Detention Facility, is 742 Turner Dr, Durango, Colorado 81303. The inmate capacity at the Durango jail is 297.
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