Esther Joy Truax
Esther Joy Truax was a mother of five, and her mother, Nancy Simmerson, has brought a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the children and estate. Truax was held at the Duval County Pre-trial Detention Facility in Jacksonville, Florida, where she had a history of mental health struggles and prior suicide attempts. According to the lawsuit, after a second attempt she was placed in restraints in a self-harm cell, and she used those restraints to strangle herself at a time when checks were supposed to occur every 15 minutes. She was taken to UF Health Jacksonville on life support and died there on December 10, 2021. The lawsuit against the sheriff was settled in December 2024, and the terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (neglect alleged). Her mother's wrongful death lawsuit says she strangled herself with restraints in a self-harm cell, and that staff did not conduct the required 15-minute checks despite her history of suicide attempts.
Reported by: wrongful death lawsuit filed by mother Nancy Simmerson (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: Nancy Simmerson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Duval County sheriff over Esther Joy Truax's death, and the case settled in December 2024 for an undisclosed amount.