Inmate Reyes Reyes Jr Died Following Medical Emergency at TDCJ Hospital Galveston
GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS (January 15, 2024) - A 61-year-old inmate identified as Reyes Reyes Jr has tragically died after experiencing a medical emergency at a Texas Department of Criminal Justice jail in Galveston.
TDCJ officials are saying that the incident began on November 13. Correctional officers noticed that Reyes Reyes Jr was experiencing symptoms of medical distress.
He was transported to the hospital in order to receive treatment for a medical condition. He remained at the hospital for over a month where his condition continued to decline.
Around 2:50 p.m. on November 25, Reyes Reyes Jr was pronounced dead by medical officials. His cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For TDCJ Jail Inmate Deaths
Staying in a jail can have very serious health consequences. Incarceration often exasperates pre-existing health conditions. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Research, “The largest European study of the heart health of prisoners found that more than one in ten of those who had a health check had a high risk of future heart disease. This is the same rate as the general population, even though the prisoner population is on average ten years younger. The study also estimated that prisoners were twice as likely as the general population to have significant anxiety and depression.” There are many jail factors that can contribute to poor inmate health outcomes.
- Overcrowding can put an enormous strain on the quality of care that all inmates receive.
- Jails often have a high turnover rate which can lead to them being chronically understaffed.
- Inmates are much more likely to suffer from mental health issues and other pre-existing medical conditions.
Jails must do everything within reason to keep the inmates in their care safe. To that end, jail staff should perform routine wellness checks on the inmates in their care. When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of the inmates in their care, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. There are many ways that a jail may have failed to properly care for an inmate who died of a heart attack.
- Jail officials may not follow the medical advice of doctors and nurses.
- Jail officials may have delayed sending an inmate to the hospital.
- Jail officials may not have given an inmate the medication that they needed.
It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any inmate death. At the end of the day, evidence is what will paint a clear picture of what happened regardless of what jail officials may claim. A large number of inmate deaths are preventable and involve some amount of medical neglect. When a jail fails to properly care for an inmate who died, the family of that inmate may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.
Investigating TDCJ Jail Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Reyes Reyes Jr. Jail officials need to be transparent about what took place for the sake of this man’s family. The sheer number of deaths across Texas in recent months remains deeply concerning.
Do you need more information about a TDCJ Jail inmate death? Our team of civil rights attorneys are here to help you get the information and support that you need. We understand how difficult it can be to get precise answers after any person dies while incarcerated. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 214-987-4100.