Tarrant County Inmate Steven Whittley Dies in a Hospital
Steven Whittley, 63, was booked into Tarrant County Jail on July 11, 2025. Mr. Whittley died in the jail’s custody on August 24, 2025. The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office filed a custodial death report (CDR) about him on September 2, 2025. It shows that an autopsy is pending, and Mr. Whittley’s cause of death is unknown.
The CDR doesn’t reveal much of anything that would suggest the cause of death. On August 22, he was found unresponsive in his cell and was transported by ambulance to John Peter Smith (JPS) Hospital. He was later intubated and placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) at JPS. The decision to discontinue Mr. Whittley’s life support was made by his family on August 24, and he was pronounced deceased by a hospital physician at 5:08 p.m. that day.
A detective with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office has been assigned the death investigation. An independent investigation into Mr. Whittley’s death will be carried out by the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office. The autopsy is being conducted by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office (TCME)
The address of Tarrant County Jail is 100 N Lamar St, Fort Worth, TX 76196. The total bed capacity of the jail is approximately 5,000.
Tarrant County Inmate Kimberly Phillips Died of Dehydration
When 56-year-old Kimberly Phillips died on February 18, 2025, after incarceration in Tarrant County Jail, her cause of death was unknown. Results from the medical examiner’s office show that dehydration and malnutrition caused her death.
Ms. Phillips went through booking on January 25, 2025, after an arrest by the Grand Prairie Police Department the day before. She was placed in medical housing and was there under 24-hour observation the entire time she was in custody. Yet, the autopsy results indicated that she had not eaten for several days before her death.
A dehydration death that occurred at Tarrant County Jail was that of Kay Baldwin, who died at 52 on September 14, 2021. The autopsy showed that she died of severe hypernatremia, an imbalance of sodium usually caused by dehydration.
Although Ms. Baldwin had access to water continually in her cell, she suffered a severe mental health episode during her incarceration. In jail death circumstances involving mental health issues, it is not unusual to find that dehydration was a contributing cause of death.
Need Legal Guidance After Jail Neglect or Mistreatment?
A jail incarceration does not strip a person of their basic rights. When individuals in custody are denied proper medical care or subjected to abuse, those responsible must be held accountable.
If your loved one died in jail and you believe neglect, poor medical attention, or abuse contributed to their passing, the Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., is here and may be able to help. Our team has extensive experience in addressing wrongful deaths in custody, including cases involving suicide, and we approach each matter with skill and dedication.
You can reach out to us 24/7 by phone, text, or our online form to arrange a free consultation.
smchugh
smchugh