Woman Critically Injured In Winnebago County Jail

Personal Injury - April 29, 2023

Female Inmate At Winnebago County Jail Found Unresponsive In Jail Cell

Woman Critically Injured In Winnebago County Jail Injured

WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS (April 29, 2023) – A female inmate at the Winnebago County Jail was taken to the hospital in critical condition after being found unresponsive.

Officials at the Winnebago County Jail are saying that the incident began around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Jail staff found the unidentified female inmate unresponsive in her cell.

They began administering life-saving measures before she was taken to the hospital in critical condition. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Winnebago County Jail Incidents

Jails are supposed to be areas of rehabilitation, but far too often they are where people are sent to be neglected and mistreated. According to Statista, “In 2019, there were 3,853 state prisoner fatalities in the United States. This is a decrease from the previous year, when there were 4,137 state prisoner fatalities. All causes of death have been considered.” There are a number of steps jails should take in order to keep inmate safe.

  • Inmates should get a health screening before being admitted.
  • Correctional officers should be well trained to identify when inmates are in medical distress.
  • Jails should be adequately staffed.
  • Inmate should receive adequate care during their stay.

Jails have a legal obligation to provide inmates with reasonably adequate care. 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, officers may not have given an inmate adequate care while they were in the middle of a medical emergency. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any incident when an inmate is injured.

  • Surveillance footage should be sought.
  • Medical records should be preserved.
  • Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
  • A thorough investigation should be conducted.

It can be hard to know where to begin after any in custody injury. However, it is important for inmates to know that they do have rights. When their constitutional rights are being violated, they can take action with a civil claim. Sadly, though, jails will often fight hard to deny liability for any incident. This is why it is so important that all evidence is properly preserved after any incident.

Investigating An Illinois In Custody Jail Injury

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to the woman injured at the Winnebago County Jail. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to make this jail a safer place. 

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in custody at the Winnebago County Jail? Our team of civil rights advocates are here for you. 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 any type of support after being injured in a jail we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.