Woman Died In Custody At Pulaski County Jail in Ullin
Wrongful Death - July 31, 2022
Female Inmate from St. Louis, Missouri Died In Custody At The Pulaski County Jail in Ullin
ULLIN, ILLINOIS (July 31, 2022) – A female inmate being housed at the Pulaski County Jail in Ullin died in custody after correctional officers found her unresponsive in her jail cell.
Pulaski County officials are saying that the incident began in the morning hours of July 14. Correctional officers found the female inmate unresponsive in her jail cell.
The inmate was transported in an ambulance to a hospital located in Mt. Vernon. She remained at the hospital for a total of four days and was pronounced dead on July 18, 2022.
An autopsy is currently pending to determine a cause of death.
Liability In Ullin Inmate Deaths
Far too many inmates die in custody every year. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS), “In 2019, the mortality rate in state prisons was 330 per 100,000 state prisoners, while federal prisoners in facilities operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) died at a rate of 259 per 100,000.” There are many different steps that jails can take in order to prevent inmate deaths.
- Inmates should be properly screened before being admitted into a jail.
- Correctional officers should be properly trained.
- Correctional officers should be able to understand when an inmate is in medical distress.
Many of the deaths that occur in jails every year are preventable and due to inadequate care. All inmates have a constitutional right to 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, an inmate may have been experiencing an overdose and was not given help in time. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any inmate death.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Surveillance footage from within the jail should be examined.
- A thorough, independent investigation should be conducted.
The family of any inmate that died in custody may be able to seek some measure of justice through a wrongful death claim. Damages can help cover many of the unexpected expenses that come with the sudden loss of a loved one. Unfortunately, jails will often fight hard to deny responsibility for the death of any inmate in their care. A wrongful death attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating An Illinois Inmate Death
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of the inmate that died at the Pulaski County Jail. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation for the sake of the victim’s family.
Do you need more information about an inmate death at the Pulaski County Jail? 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 accident we are here for you. You’re always welcome to reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.