Lamb County Jail is Found Non-Compliant in Distributing Prescription Medications
Lamb County Jail was sent a notice of non-compliance after a February 28, 2025, special jail inspection. In addition, the Littlefield, Texas, jail is now listed on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) website along with other Texas jails cited for violating minimum jail standards.
Lamb County Jail has allegedly failed to comply with two rules in the chapter on health services. Both violations involve the distribution of prescription medication to inmates according to physicians’ orders. TCJS inspectors determined that Lamb County Jail has a systemic issue. Due to their similarity, details in the following paragraph combine the information from both violations:
- It was determined during a review of medication administration records (MARS) that medication was not being distributed to each detainee as ordered by the prescribing physician. It was discovered that there were 536 instances in which jailers indicated the medication was “out of stock.” This occurred out of 4,639 instances in all in which medications were ordered to be administered. Administration explained that staff sometimes marked the box “out of stock” when, in fact, the inmate had refused the medication. Therefore, the medication administration records were not documented correctly.
Lamb County Jail is located at 1200 E Waylon Jennings Blvd. in Littlefield, Texas 79339. The inmate capacity is 54.
Jail Inmates Die from Lack of Prescription Medications
After tragic custodial deaths, family members often speak up about a lack of medical care and also, in particular, the jail’s failure to distribute necessary prescription medications to their loved ones. It is always important for inmates to be supplied with their medications, but it is a critical matter when the lack of medicines can be a matter of life or death. The following are some of the many news stories revealing that jail inmates passed away because they did not receive their necessary prescribed medicines:
- D’Vonte Valentine was only 24 years old when he died in the custody of Smith County Jail in Tyler, Texas. Mr. Valentine required steroid medication for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a genetic disorder. He informed the jail staff that he could not live without the steroids. Jail staff put the steroids into the locker with his other belongings. He never received the steroids and died in a matter of days.
- Dexter Barry died three days after being released from Duval County Jail in Jacksonville, Florida. He was held in the jail for only two days, but during that time, the jail staff did not give him access to medication that was necessary to keep him alive. As a heart transplant recipient, it was essential to take anti-rejection medication daily.
Legal Support for Jail Medical Neglect and Abuse
If you believe a loved one died in a Texas jail due to neglect, abuse, or inadequate medical care, it is essential to seek skilled legal representation. At the Law Offices of Dean Malone, we are dedicated to advocating for inmates and their families in cases involving in-custody deaths by jail negligence. Our experienced legal team understands the complexities of these cases and fights to hold responsible parties accountable.
If a family member has passed away due to jail neglect, we encourage you to reach out. We offer free case reviews. Call, text, or complete our online form today. Time is of the essence.
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