Kimberly Phillips Dies After Incarceration in Tarrant County Jail

Fifty-six-year-old Kimberly A. Phillips was booked into Tarrant County Jail on January 25, 2025, and was then housed at Lon Evans Corrections Center. On February 15, 2025, in the jail infirmary, a nurse from John Peter Smith Hospital (JPS) referred Ms. Phillips to the Resource Provider to receive further evaluation, though no information about her symptoms was provided.

Ms. Phillips was transported by ambulance to JPS for a higher level of care. The staff at JPS reported that Ms. Phillips was refusing treatment. Dr. Melhart pronounced Ms. Phillips deceased at 4:29 AM on February 18, 2025, at the hospital. Her cause of death is unknown and pending the results of an autopsy.

A custodial death report (CDR) was filed by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department about Ms. Phillips on February 21, 2025. The report fails to provide any further clues about her medical condition. Upon entry, the intake officer indicated that she did not exhibit any mental or medical problems, appear intoxicated, or make suicidal statements.

The address of Tarrant County Jail is 100 N. Lamar St., Fort Worth, TX 76196. The Tarrant jail system’s bed capacity is 5,000. The Lon Evans Corrections Center where Kimberly Phillips was housed has a capacity of 444 beds for maximum security prisoners. The five-story facility is a 207,700-square-foot maximum-security jail at 600 W. Weatherford Street in Fort Worth.

Jail Inmates Frequently Die of Unknown Causes

Jails have a responsibility for the lives of individuals in their care. Yet, news reports across the United States frequently tell of inmates in county and municipal jails who have died of unknown causes. The following are several recent stories along those lines:

An inmate at Bibb County Law Enforcement Center in Macon, Georgia, collapsed and died on February 19, 2025. His cause of death is unknown.
It is believed that 38-year-old Ramel Powell is the first detainee death at Rikers Island this year. Mr. Powell was housed inside the Otis Bantum Correctional Facility and died of unknown causes at about 2:15 AM on February 19, 2025. Rikers Island is a jail complex in New York City. The city’s Department of Corrections Commissioner released a statement about the death being a tragic event and a full investigation being underway.
Forty-one-year-old Hugo Mota was an inmate in Harris County Jail in Houston Texas, in August 2024 when he died after suffering a medical emergency. His cause of death was unknown at the time, and an autopsy was ordered.

Legal Support for Custodial Deaths in County and City Jails

If you have lost a loved one who was incarcerated in a jail and you suspect that jail neglect or medical neglect was involved, it is crucial to seek experienced legal guidance. At the Law Offices of Dean Malone, we are dedicated to helping families affected by custodial deaths, including suicide deaths.

Our skilled legal team has considerable experience asserting inmate rights and holding jails accountable. Understanding the complexities involved with these types of legal cases, we are dedicated to providing compassionate and knowledgeable representation to pursue justice on your behalf.

We are available 24/7. For a free case evaluation, contact us anytime by phone, text, or through our online form.

Written By: