A 35-year-old man died inside a jail cell in US' Atlanta after being "eaten alive" by insects and bed bugs, an attorney for the victim's family has alleged. According to New York Post, his family is now demanding a criminal investigation into his death as well as the closure and replacement of the jail.
As per the police, LaShawn Thompson was arrested on a charge of battery in Atlanta on June 12, 2022. He was then taken to the Fulton County Jail where he was placed in the psychiatric wing after officials determined he was mentally ill. On September 13, 2022, Mr. Thompson was found unresponsive in his jail cell and pronounced dead after failed CPR attempts.
''Three months later Mr. Thompson was found dead in a filthy jail cell after being eaten alive by insects and bed bugs. When his body was found one of the detention officers refused to administer CPR because in her words she ‘freaked out.' The jail cell Mr. Thompson was housed in was not fit for a diseased animal. He did not deserve this. Someone has to be held accountable for his death,'' Michael D. Harper, an attorney for Mr. Thompson's family said.
He cited the Fulton County Jail's unsanitary conditions as reasoning for his death. He further alleged that jail staffers noticed that Mr Thompson was "deteriorating" but did nothing to help him.
Pictures from inside the jail show Mr. Thompson's body and the horrific and unsanitary conditions of his cell, which is covered in dirt and strewn with debris.
A report from a county medical examiner's Office said there were no signs of physical injury on his body, but noted a "severe bed bug infestation", as per USA Today. However, the cause of death was listed as undetermined.
''There were no obvious signs of trauma found about the decedent's body. The decedent's body was covered in bed bugs,'' the medical examiner's report said.
In a written statement to Channel 2 Action News, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said it launched a “full investigation” into Thompson's death. The sheriff also said officials were taking "immediate actions" in the jail including, spending $500,000 to address the infestation of bed bugs, lice, and other vermin, and updating protocols for security rounds.
"It's no secret that the dilapidated and rapidly eroding conditions of the current facility make it incredibly difficult to meet the goal of providing a clean, well-maintained, and healthy environment for all inmates and staff," the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
“The ongoing investigation is examining details regarding the medical care provided and ultimately will determine whether any criminal charges are warranted in this case,” the statement added.
''Bed bug bites are not usually deadly, but in some rare cases, prolonged exposure to a massive bed bug infestation can cause severe anaemia, which can be lethal if left untreated'', Michael Potter, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky told BBC. "Bed bugs feed on blood and very large numbers of bed bugs feed on very large amounts of blood," Mr Potter said.
