Charles Riggs
Charles Riggs died on July 29, 2023, while held at the Plainfield Correctional Facility in Indiana. A lawsuit filed by Helen Sharpe, special administrator of his estate, says his cause of death was acute respiratory failure caused by hypoxic encephalopathy, which she attributes to Hepatitis C cirrhosis. The suit alleges that the Indiana Department of Correction and its medical provider did not set up a timely treatment plan for his liver condition, and that staff did not bring him to a scheduled infirmary visit or order labs while he was in a mental health watch cell. The Department of Correction declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The estate's lawsuit says the Indiana Department of Correction and its medical provider failed to set a timely treatment plan for his liver disease and that staff missed an infirmary visit and skipped ordered labs while he was in a mental health watch cell, and the Department of Correction declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Reported by: Helen Sharpe, special administrator of Riggs' estate, in a lawsuit filed in Marion Superior Court (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: Helen Sharpe, special administrator of Charles Riggs' estate, sued the Indiana Department of Correction and its medical provider in Marion Superior Court over his care before his July 2023 death at Plainfield Correctional Facility, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.