Rebecca Esterline-Brixey Dies in Jefferson County, Arkansas Jail
Rebecca Esterline-Brixey, only 45 years of age at the time, was found to be unresponsive in a cell in the Jefferson County Jail in Arkansas on or about December 8, 2018. Apparently, Ms. Esterline-Brixey passed away as a result of complications related to alcohol withdrawal. We are unaware of the facts of exactly what occurred. However, to the extent jail staff would have been able to help Ms. Esterline-Brixey, after becoming aware that she had significant medical issues, jail staff had a constitutional duty to do so.
The United States Constitution imposes duties on county jailers to provide reasonable medical care and mental health care. If jailers are deliberately indifferent to such needs, they can be liable to the family of a deceased person, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. ยง 1983. There are various protocols which jails should use, in the event they are confronted with inmates withdrawing from substance abuse issues. For example, CIWA and COWS are two such protocols. We are unaware of whether Jefferson County chose to use any withdrawal protocol with Ms. Esterline-Brixey.