Edward J. Bower Jr.
Edward J. Bower Jr., 31, left two young daughters, and his mother, Tracey A. Watson, is pursuing a federal lawsuit on behalf of his estate and family. He died on February 19, 2026, at SCI Houtzdale, a state prison in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, where he was held in the custody of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. The lawsuit says he had been placed on suicide watch after expressing suicidal thoughts, but that staff relied on an outside camera instead of direct observation and did not check on him for about eight hours before he was found hanging in his cell. The lawsuit also cites at least seven other suicides at the prison since 2022. The Clearfield County Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide by hanging, and the department said it does not comment on pending litigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (neglect alleged). The Clearfield County medical examiner ruled it a suicide by hanging, while his mother's federal lawsuit says staff did not keep him under constant watch, relied on an outside camera instead of direct observation, and did not check on him for about eight hours.
Reported by: Clearfield County Medical Examiner (medical examiner or coroner); Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (the agency that held him); Tracey Watson, his mother, in a federal civil rights lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His mother, Tracey A. Watson, sued in federal court over his death, alleging staff failed to keep him on constant suicide watch; no settlement or award has been reported.
Sources (6)
- Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Death in Custody Reporting Act dashboard
- DOC: Lycoming County arsonist found dead at SCI Houtzdale
- Inmate Deaths, Drug Scheme Rock State Prisons
- Pa. mother sues, says son’s suicide in prison was preventable
- Family member of inmate files wrongful death lawsuit against SCI Houtzdale, prison staff
- Suicide at SCI Houtzdale spurs federal lawsuit