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Topics: US News, Crime, Mental Health, Health
Rhiannon Ingle
A man was 'eaten alive by bed bugs' in jail, according to an independent autopsy.
The death of Lashawn Thompson, 35, has been listed as 'complications due to severe neglect' with 'untreated decompensated schizophrenia' noted as a contributing cause.
Thompson, from Georgia, Atlanta, lost a significant amount of weight - 32 lbs to be exact, which worked out to be an '18 percent' loss of his body weight - in his three month stint at the Fulton County Jail.
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Thompson was first booked into Fulton County Jail last year (12 June 2022) on a misdemeanor charge.
The man did not possess the funds to post bail and on 13 September of that same year, just three months after his initial arrest, he was discovered unresponsive in his cell.
Thompson's body was found slumped over his cell toilet completely covered in bugs - according to the incident report filed by Fulton County Jail staff at the time.
The official autopsy listed 'significant conditions' of 'dehydration, malnutrition, severe body insect infestation' at the time of his passing.
The report reads: "For "43 days there was minimal documentation found within the records that show care being delivered.
"The medication administration log showed that no medication was administered from Aug. 11, 2022 – Sept. 13, 2022."
Roger A. Mitchell, Jr. MD, adds: "Based upon the timeline provided, Lashawn Thompson suffered from severe body insect infestation that clearly spanned greater 28 days."
Mitchell, a professor at Howard University, continued: "During the time it took to accumulate the severe and substantial infestation, Mr. Thompson would not have received a bath from his caregivers."
The independent autopsy was conducted after the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office initially found Thompson's cause of death to be 'undetermined'.
After this declaration, Mitchell was hired by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's non-profit organization to further look into the matter.
The report found the manner of Thomspon's death to be 'homicide', with Mitchell writing: "Mr. Thompson was neglected to death."
In a news conference on Monday (22 May), civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, said: "I want to go on record: This is the most deplorable death and custody case in history."
Fulton County Sheriff, Pat Labat, has since issued a statement following the release of the independent autopsy report.
It reads: "I have not had a chance to fully review the independent autopsy report. However, even before this report was issued it was painfully clear there were a number of failures that led to Mr. Thompson’s tragic death."
She continued: "I have already held the executive staff responsible for jail operations accountable by asking for and receiving the resignations of the Chief Jailer, Assistant Chief Jailer of Housing and Assistant Chief Jailer, Criminal Investigative Division.
"Repercussions for anyone found to be negligent in Mr. Thompson’s care could come once the full investigation is turned over to the GBI for review."
UNILAD has reached out to the Fulton County Jail for comment.