Dylan Schlieper-Clark Died After Becoming Ill At Sangamon County Jail

Wrongful Death - May 28, 2022

Inmate Dylan Schlieper-Clark, of Springfield, Died After Becoming Ill In Custody At The Sangamon County Jail

Dylan Schlieper-Clark Died After Becoming Ill At Sangamon County Jail

SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS (May 27, 2022) – A 23-year-old inmate identified as Dylan Schlieper-Clark has tragically died after becoming ill while staying at a Sangamon County jail.

Sangamon County officials are saying that the incident began on April 14. Dylan Schlieper-Clark was arrested on charges of probation violation and possession of methamphetamine.

He was in jail for less than 24 hours before he began experiencing some type of medical emergency. Dylan Schlieper-Clark was taken to memorial hospital.

But doctors and medical staff were not able to save him. He was pronounced dead on April 17. An autopsy showed no signs of trauma. Toxicology reports are pending at this time.

Liability In Sangamon County Inmate Deaths

Far too many inmates die every year in custody in the United States. According to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), in 2018 alone 1,120 inmate deaths were reported. More than half of all inmate deaths occur within a month of intoxication. The median time that an inmate is in custody before dying is 17 days for all causes. When an inmate dies after only being in custody for 1 day or less, this is often due to drug or alcohol intoxication. There are a number of steps that jails should take in order to keep inmates safe.

  • Inmates should receive mental health screenings before being admitted.
  • Inmates should be checked for contraband before being admitted.
  • Inmates that show signs of an overdose should be given adequate treatment.

All inmates have a constitutional right to receive reasonably adequate healthcare.  When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. For example, a jail may not have given an inmate proper care if they were overdosing on drugs or alcohol. Many jail staff simply aren’t properly trained to detect when an inmate is overdosing on opioids, methamphetamines or other drugs. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any inmate death.

  • Jail records should be examined.
  • Medical records should be observed.
  • An autopsy should be performed.
  • A thorough, independent investigation should be conducted.

The family of any inmate that died in custody may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover, lost wages, medical bills and funeral expenses. Sadly, though, jails will often fight hard to deny liability for any inmate death. A wrongful death attorney can examine all of the facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.

Investigating A Sangamon County Inmate Death

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Dylan Schlieper-Clark. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that measures are put in place to make this jail safer.

Do you need more information about a Sangamon County inmate death? Our team of inmate’s rights advocates are here to answer any questions that you  may have. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into an incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.