Roberto Jaramillo-Salazar Dies in La Salle County, Texas Jail
The La Salle County Sheriff’s Department, in Cotulla, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Roberto Jaramillo-Salazar. We provide information we obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing regarding his death. The summary portion of the reports reads in its entirety:
“On December 10, 2021, I, Sergeant Investigator Esmeralda Gonzalez with the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office responded to the La Salle County Regional Detention Center located at 832 E. Hwy 44 in Encinal, Texas 78019 in reference to an unresponsive male. I arrived and met with La Salle County Fire Rescue personnel and Justice of the Peace, Roxanna Rodriguez. JP Rodriguez pronounced Roberto Jaramillo-Salazar (DOB: XX/XX/1955) deceased at 10:20AM. After conducting multiple interviews, I learned that Roberto had been transferred to this facility on December 6, 2021 at 7:34PM having listed that he had been prescribed medication for the treatment of high blood pressure.
Jailer Hinojosa shared that on the morning of December 10, 2021, he had been assigned to Dorm P and that he had received directives to move detainees that were housed in Dorm D to Dorm P. Jailer Hinojosa shared that Roberto was one of the detainees that he was to move to Dorm P. Jailer Hinojosa continued and stated that as he moved them into Dorm P and had then instructed them to their designated bunks, he left the cell onto the outside area of the cell called the vestible area. Jailer Hinojosa stated that not too long after, as he was writing down the movement onto his activity log, he then heard a loud, clap sound noise and that detainees were then attempting to obtain his attention. Jailer Hinojosa stated that as he looked inside of the cell through the window, he was able to see a subject’s legs and feet of a detainee that appeared to have been laying face up. Jailer Hinojosa continued and described that he saw detainee Roberto laying face up, his arms folded up with his hands in a semi clenched position. Jailer Hinojosa then explained that he called assistance through the radio and attempted to lay Roberto on his side. Jailer Hinojosa stated that medical personnel arrived and transferred Roberto to the medical room in the facility.
Interviews with multiple detainees described Roberto as he was waiting to claim his bunk as he stood by as another detainee was clearing the area. The detainees described that Roberto bent over to reach for his items from the floor and did not get to pick up his things when he then fell in a backward motion. Detainees described hearing a loud noise as his head hit the floor and that Roberto’s eyes were rolled back and became unresponsive. Detainees then shared that they then contacted the jailer for help.”
Prisoners in Texas jails have the constitutional right to receive reasonable medical care, including administration of prescriptions. If that right is violated in any situation, and someone dies as a result, then certain family members might be able to file a lawsuit.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone