Blair Nelson
Blair Nelson was booked into the Chelan County Regional Justice Center in Washington on November 21, 2020, while suffering severe alcohol withdrawal. According to her estate's lawsuit, a licensed practical nurse had to hold her hand so she could get pills into her mouth, and she was found dead in her cell several hours later. The lawsuit says her death was preventable with adequate medical care for withdrawal, and that the failure to treat it caused her death. She left behind four siblings.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). Nelson's estate says in its lawsuit that jail staff failed to treat her severe alcohol withdrawal, and that adequate medical care would have prevented her death.
Reported by: Nelson's estate, through a lawsuit and the plaintiff's expert witnesses (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: Her estate sued over her death, contending that adequate medical care would have prevented it, and a court allowed the plaintiff's expert testimony to proceed; no settlement or award amount has been reported.