Inmate Ethan Craft (Full Name: Ethan John Craft) Died Following Medical Emergency At Galveston Jail
GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS (December 21, 2023) - A 29-year-old male inmate identified as Ethan Craft has tragically died following a medical emergency at Hospital Galveston.
Galveston County officials are saying that the incident began around 3:27 a.m. on December 17. Ethan Craft was taken to the hospital due to a medical condition.
He was transferred to Galveston Hospital where his condition continued to decline. Sadly, Ethan Craft was pronounced dead by medical staff that same day.
A full investigation into the death remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Galveston Inmate Deaths
Cardiac events remain one of the leading causes of inmate death in the United States. According to the Journal of American Cardiology, “Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death among individuals incarcerated, and those recently released have a higher risk of being hospitalized and dying of cardiovascular disease compared with the general population, even after accounting for differences in racial identity and socioeconomic status.” There are a number of steps that jails should take to protect inmates from heart attacks.
- All inmates should get a thorough health screening.
- Inmates should be regularly seen by qualified physicians.
- Inmates with heart disease may need certain medications.
- Jails staff should know CPR and have access to AED machines.
Every inmate has a constitutional right to receive treatment for their medical needs. When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. Not every denial of care will rise to the level of a constitutional violation. It is important all evidence is properly documented after any inmate death.
- All requests for care involving the inmate that died should be reviewed.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- An independent autopsy may need to be performed.
- Medical records related to the death should be collected.
It can be hard to know where to begin after any inmate death. To make matters worse, jails are rarely ever transparent about how any inmate in their care died. They often claim that inmate deaths were “natural.” But the fact of the matter is that many of these so called “natural” deaths involve inmates in their 20’s and 30’s. The family of any inmate that died in a Galveston County Jail may have legal recourse through a civil claim.
Investigating Galveston Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Ethan Craft. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened. The number of inmate deaths in Galveston County prisons this year remains deeply concerning and must be addressed by state officials.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed due to the negligent actions of Galveston County jail officials? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of civil rights attorneys 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 any type of assistance we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 214-987-4100.