Ava
Ava was a premature baby girl born in August 2021 inside the Alachua County Jail, where her mother, Erica Thompson, was being held. Thompson says she was pregnant, having contractions, and screaming for help, and that staff ignored her repeated requests for hospital care during labor; her family is suing. Ava was taken to a hospital and died there hours later. The Alachua County Sheriff's Office says the death is still under investigation, and an internal review reported by The Gainesville Sun found nothing illegal was done on its part, while the full surveillance video has not been released.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). Erica Thompson's family says jail staff ignored her repeated requests for hospital care during labor, while the Alachua County Sheriff's Office says the death is still under investigation and its internal review found nothing illegal.
Reported by: Erica Thompson, through attorney Natalie Jackson (family or their lawyers); Alachua County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held her); The Gainesville Sun (reporters).
Lawsuit: Erica Thompson, the baby's mother, is suing over Ava's death at the Alachua County Jail, and the family's attorney has announced plans to sue the Alachua County Sheriff's Office for wrongful death.