In March 2023, a 29-year-old inmate in a Texas county jail died of sepsis, a condition that is easily treatable with antibiotics. The young man had turned himself in on a possession warrant. He was a father of three.

A family member who spoke out about the tragic death says he found out after the young man died that he had had emergency surgery to remove an appendix. Afterward, the jail officials told him, the inmate developed a septic infection. However, the results of an autopsy are not yet known. Fellow inmates claim that he had suffered a lot of pain and called for help for two days. No one ever came to check on him, allegedly.

Sepsis Saves Lives

When a person is under medical care and still dies of sepsis, it raises legitimate questions about whether there may have been some type of negligence or medical neglect. Sepsis is known as a condition that saves lives. Although it is deadly if not treated in time, the treatment for it is typically easy and effective. The administration of antibiotics reverses the effects of sepsis.

The life-saving aspect of sepsis is that it alerts a person that they have a severe infection. In the medical community, the symptoms of sepsis are well known. Many believe that if a person dies of sepsis while in jail, there is no question but it was a case of medical neglect. Incarcerated individuals have a right to necessary medical care, and failing to treat sepsis after surgery is a sign that medical negligence may have occurred.

Learn more in this series.

Helping Texas jail detainees and their families with resources is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention of suggesting that people or organizations have been involved in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor