Blake T. Lee
Blake T. Lee was held at the Woodford County Jail in Illinois, and his father told jail staff that he was an alcoholic who would need detoxification. The lawsuit filed by his mother says medical staff were not told of his risk of withdrawal, that he was placed in the general population, and that over the following days he showed severe withdrawal symptoms and was found unresponsive in his cell. He died a day after being taken to Eureka Hospital, and an autopsy attributed his death to complications from alcohol withdrawal and chronic alcoholism. His mother's lawsuit against the county and the jail's health provider is pending.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The autopsy attributes his death to complications from alcohol withdrawal and chronic alcoholism, while his mother's lawsuit says jail staff were not told of his withdrawal risk, placed him in general population, and did not treat his worsening withdrawal symptoms.
Reported by: autopsy; lawsuit filed by Lee's mother (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His mother sued Woodford County and the jail's health provider, and the lawsuit is ongoing with no amount reported.