Brian Hegwood
Brian Hegwood, 31, was held at the Marion County Jail in Indiana in October 2019. His mother, Tracey Hardwick, is the estate administrator who brought a federal wrongful death lawsuit, and she has said she hopes the case will draw attention to medical care for people held in correctional facilities. According to court records, his condition worsened in the jail and his symptoms were ignored by medical staff, and he was taken to a hospital only after his time in jail ended. He died at Methodist Hospital several days later from complications of MRSA endocarditis and septic emboli. The estate settled the lawsuit for $625,000, and Wellpath, the medical contractor, did not admit liability.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). Court records say medical staff ignored his worsening symptoms before he died of MRSA endocarditis and septic emboli, and Wellpath did not admit liability when his estate settled a federal wrongful death lawsuit.
Reported by: court records; his estate's federal wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate settled a federal wrongful death lawsuit against Wellpath, the medical contractor, for $625,000, and Wellpath did not admit liability.