Tarrant County Inmate Shuntae Broadus Dies in a Texas Hospital
Shuntae Lavette Broadus, 40, was booked into Fort Worth’s Lon Evans Jail in Tarrant County on August 3, 2025. Tragically, she was pronounced deceased on December 21, 2025, after being discovered unresponsive that morning and taken by ambulance to the John Peter Smith (JPS) Hospital Emergency Department. On December 30, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office filed a custodial death report (CDR) with the Office of the Attorney General about Ms. Broadus’ death.
The CDR indicates that, during booking, Ms. Broadus exhibited mental health problems. Her cause of death is currently unknown and pending the results of an autopsy.
The following is information found in the CDR’s summary of how the death occurred:
According to facility records, Shuntae Lavette Broadus, an incarcerated individual housed in a single cell, was discovered unresponsive during a routine medication administration round on the morning of December 21, 2025. At approximately 8:41 a.m., jail staff initiated a medical emergency call, and on-site medical personnel began cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other life-saving actions. Emergency responders from Acadian EMS soon arrived, continued resuscitative care, and transferred Ms. Broadus by ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Despite those efforts, Shuntae L. Broadus was pronounced deceased later that afternoon at approximately 4:11 p.m.
An internal review and an outside agency investigation are typically prompted in circumstances involving a death in custody to determine whether appropriate medical care was provided, whether supervision complied with statutory jail standards, and whether any systemic failures contributed to the event.
Broader Context: Mental Illness in County Jails and Associated Risks
Although public information does not specify whether Ms. Broadus had mental-health needs, her death reflects a broader national concern: city and county jails are routinely used as de-facto mental-health holding facilities, despite often lacking the resources, staffing, or training to manage psychiatric illness safely.
Key risks and documented outcomes include:
Delayed or Inadequate Medical and Mental-Health Intervention:
Research from the U.S. Department of Justice shows that individuals with severe mental-health conditions frequently experience longer wait times before receiving care. Requests for psychiatric support may go unanswered.
Increased Vulnerability to Medical Emergencies:
People with untreated or undertreated conditions—such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression—face heightened physiological stress that can worsen co-existing medical conditions. When emergency symptoms arise, staff may mistake them for behavioral issues rather than a medical crisis, delaying care.
Higher Suicide and Self-Harm Rates:
Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in local jails nationwide. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that suicide occurs in jails at a rate over three times higher than among the general population, with a disproportionate number involving individuals who had known—or suspected—mental-health needs.
Documented Deaths Linked to Mental-Health System Failures:
Across the country, several high-profile cases have shown mentally ill detainees deteriorating in custody, sometimes waiting months for placement in psychiatric hospitals or going without medication. Examples include:
- Individuals held in restraint chairs or segregation cells who later died after repeatedly begging for medical or mental-health attention.
- Detainees experiencing psychosis who were treated as “noncompliant,” leading to delayed emergency care and preventable death.
- People arrested on low-level offenses who died before ever seeing a courtroom because treatment beds were unavailable.
Why These Issues Matter in Custodial-Death Cases
From a legal perspective, local jails have a constitutional duty—under the Fourteenth Amendment (for pretrial detainees)—to provide timely medical and mental-health care. When that duty is not met, families may have grounds to pursue claims involving:
- Deliberate indifference to serious medical or psychiatric needs
- Failure to monitor or supervise detainees
- Improper use of segregation for mentally ill individuals
- Systemic staffing or policy failures
Families affected by a death in custody often seek legal support not only for accountability—but to prevent similar tragedies from occurring to others.
The address of the Lon Evans Jail in Tarrant County, where Ms. Broadus was incarcerated, is 600 W. Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196.
Support for Families After a Death in Jail Custody
Jails Have a Legal Duty to Protect People in Their Care: Local detention facilities are required under the Constitution to provide reasonable safety and access to medical attention. When a person dies while in custody and there are concerns that delayed care, ignored warning signs, or unsafe conditions played a role, loved ones often need guidance about what comes next.
Our Firm Helps Families Seek Answers and Accountability: The Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., focuses on cases involving deaths inside city and county jails, including matters linked to missed medical needs, potential suicide risks, and suspected constitutional violations. We work to evaluate what occurred and determine whether legal action may be appropriate.
Resources Available for Families Navigating the Aftermath: If you are unsure where to begin, you can access our free Jail Death Guide for Families by visiting the “Resources” tab on our website. It offers helpful information about investigations, evidence, and possible rights after a loss in custody.
We Are Available to Speak Anytime: You may contact our office 24/7 by phone, text, or through our secure online form. Free case reviews may be available for families who want to understand whether legal representation may help in their situation.
smchugh
smchugh