A family is looking for answers after they believe their loved one died a horrific death while being held in a dirty prison cell in Atlanta, Georgia.
According to the Washington Post, Lashawn Thompson was 35 years old when he was discovered dead in his Fulton County Jail cell on September 13, 2022. At the time, he had been incarcerated since June 12, 2022.
Thompson was allegedly arrested for committing a misdemeanor simple battery. During his three months in jail, Thompson was labeled as mentally ill and he was moved into the psychiatric wing of the institution before he was found unresponsive in his cell.
A Family Is Demanding Answers After a Prisoner Died After Only 3 Months in Prison
A report from the Fulton County Medical Examiner revealed Thompson’s cell had a “severe bed bug infestation.” In fact, the Washington Post reports that the cell was so disgusting and dirty that the worker who entered the cell following Thompson’s death had to wear a hazmat suit.
Thompson’s family has labeled his cause of death as being “eaten alive by insects and bed bugs.” However, jail records state that the medical examiner labeled his cause of death as “undetermined.”
In a statement shared by Thompson’s family’s lawyer, Michael Harper, he revealed that “the officer stated that it is unknown the last time the decedent was seen as the case continues to be investigated. When his body was found one of the detention officers refused to administer CPR because in her words she ‘freaked out.’”
Harper also released truly disturbing and graphic photos of what Thompson looked like at the time of his passing and what the inside of Thompson’s cell looked like. Thompson’s brother Brad McCrae told the public that his brother didn’t deserve what happened to him, adding that “it was heartbreaking because nobody should be seen like that. Nobody should see that.”
In a statement addressing Thompson’s family’s claims, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office claimed that an investigation into Thompson’s death had been launched by Sheriff Patrick Labat and that $500,000 had been approved “to address the infestation of bed bugs, lice, and other vermin within Fulton County Jail,” WSBTV reports.
“The health, well-being, and security of our inmates in our care is our top priority,” the statement continued. “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 safe, clean, well-maintained, and healthy environment for all inmates and staff.”
Thompson has been described as a man who loved dancing, baking strawberry cakes, and music. His family reportedly didn’t know of Thompson’s arrest until after he had passed away.