Damien Stefancik
Damien Stefancik, 34, was held at the Morris County Correctional Facility in New Jersey and was found dead in his cell on November 27, 2021. His family says he had intellectual disabilities his whole life, that he told his mother and brother about his pain and fear, and that they visited him every week. A wrongful death lawsuit filed by his mother, Sonja DeWitt, says he died of a pulmonary embolism that traveled from his leg to his heart and that jail staff failed to get him proper medical attention despite worsening symptoms. The family says the jail did not notify them of his death and left him in his cell for hours. The Morris County Prosecutor's Office and the state Attorney General's Office are investigating, and the county sheriff's office declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). Damien's family, in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his mother Sonja DeWitt, says a pulmonary embolism traveled from his leg to his heart and that jail staff failed to get him proper medical attention despite worsening symptoms.
Reported by: his family's wrongful death lawsuit (his mother Sonja DeWitt) (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His mother, Sonja DeWitt, filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that he died of a pulmonary embolism after jail staff failed to get him proper medical attention, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.