Patrick McCann Died In Lake County Jail Cell In Waukegan

Wrongful Death - September 27, 2022

Patrick McCann, of Barrington, Died After Being Found Unresponsive In His Lake County Jail Cell In Waukegan

WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS (September 27, 2022) – A 51-year-old man from Barrington identified as Patrick McCann has tragically died after being found unresponsive in his Lake County Jail cell.

Lake County officials are saying that the incident began on Friday. Patrick McCann was remanded to a Lake County Jail cell.

Around 8:34 p.m. the inmate was discovered by a corrections officer doing rounds in Pod 1 East. The inmate was laying on his bed and appeared to be unresponsive.

The corrections officer attempted to wake the inmate, but he was still unresponsive. At that point, medical staff were called and began life-saving measures with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Despite life-saving measures, Patrick McCann was later pronounced dead. A full investigation into the Lake County Jail death remains ongoing at this time.

Liability In Lake County Jail Inmate Deaths

Thousands of inmates die in custody every year. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “In 2018, state prisons reported 4,135 deaths (not including the 25 people executed in state prisons); this is the highest number on record since BJS began collecting mortality data in 2001.” While many of these deaths occur naturally, a large number involve some amount of neglect. There are a number of steps that jails and correctional officers should take in order to keep inmates safe.

• Inmates should receive a proper health screening before being admitted.
• Correctional officers should be able to identify when an inmate is undergoing medical distress.
• Jails should be properly staffed and correctional officers should be well trained.

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 have failed to give an inmate the prescriptions that they needed. They may have also failed to give inmates prompt medical attention in the event of a medical emergency. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any inmate death.

• Medical records should be examined.
• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• Jail records of an inmates care should be reviewed.
• An independent investigation should be conducted.

Many jails are for profit institutions and stand to benefit when they give inmates as little care as possible. In many situations, inmates with very serious illnesses were never taken to the hospital to get properly diagnosed. On top of this, when an inmate does die in custody, jail officials will fight hard to deny responsibility. This is why it is so crucial that all evidence is properly preserved after any inmate death.

Investigating A Lake County Jail Inmate Death

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Patrick McCann. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to make the Lake County Jail a safe place for all who stay there.

Do you need more information about a Lake 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 treated fairly under the law and that jails are fulfilling their constitutional obligations. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.