Marsha Hernandez Dies After 1 Week in Bastrop County Jail
Marsha Hernandez entered Bastrop County Jail in Bastrop, Texas, on April 3, 2024. Tragically, Ms. Hernandez died after a week of incarceration. The cause of her April 9, 2024 death is unknown and pending the results of an autopsy. The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Department filed a custodial death report (CDR) about Ms. Hernandez on April 15, 2024.
According to the CDR, at the time she was booked, Ms. Hernandez exhibited mental health problems and medical problems. There are no further insights on any illness or event that may have contributed to her cause of death. The CDR simply says that Investigator Plocica, who provided the summary of how the death occurred, arrived as lifesaving efforts were in progress. She was pronounced deceased 25 minutes after his arrival.
Bastrop County Jail’s address is 200 Jackson St., Bastrop, TX 78602. The bed capacity at the Batrop jail is 400.
A Florida County Jail Faces Scrutiny Over Possible Medical Neglect
In August 2023, a news article about jails in a Florida county brought to light possible medical neglect and the deaths of three detainees within the previous month. People are purportedly not receiving necessary medications while in custody in the jails in the county. It was suggested that a man died after allegedly being denied his heart transplant medication. Others with diabetes allegedly haven’t been receiving their necessary insulin treatments.
Is Jail Medical Neglect a Widespread Problem?
In the midst of controversy, the Florida county announced plans to switch to a different medical provider. This strategy is often repeated in U.S. jails as history has proven that medical care for detainees has worsened since many counties have begun hiring third-party inmate healthcare providers.
In Texas, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) reports every year that complaints about medical care for inmates outnumber all others. Common problems include denial of prescription medications and ignoring symptoms that could point to serious or fatal medical conditions. When a detainee dies from sepsis, it is always a red flag because sepsis is easily treated with antibiotics if caught early.
Many times, jails in Texas counties have been cited by TCJS for violating the rule requiring all medical instructions of designated physicians to be followed. For instance, Taylor County Jail was cited in June of 2023 because the TCJS inspector could not verify that medication was consistently administered to detainees as ordered by the physician.
Do You Suspect That a Deceased Loved One Was a Victim of Jail Medical Neglect?
County jails can be held accountable when detainees die as a result of medical neglect or other types of jail neglect. If you have reason to suspect that a loved one who died in jail was a victim of medical neglect or jail neglect, we recommend that you seek help without delay. Also, if you were incarcerated in a county jail and suffered life-altering injuries as a result of neglect, contact us at the Law Offices of Dean Malone today. We have years of experience representing the interests of detainees and their families. You can reach us anytime, night or day. Call, text, or fill out our online form.
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