Gwendolyn Young
Gwendolyn Young died in the Tulsa County jail in 2013. Her daughter, Deborah Young, says the loss still feels recent. Her daughter and attorney Dan Smolen cite an autopsy that found blunt force trauma to the head and an internal bleed after a fall, while court documents say she died of a heart attack, had a history of heart problems, and complained of nausea, vomiting and back and stomach pain the morning she died. A federal jury awarded $82 million to her estate, finding that the jail's private medical provider, Correctional Healthcare Companies, violated her civil rights by refusing needed medical care, and the lawsuit says jail medical staff repeatedly refused her requests to be taken to a hospital. The sheriff's office said the incident occurred under a previous administration and that the county has since changed jail medical providers and added training.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). Her daughter and attorney say the autopsy found blunt head trauma and internal bleeding from a fall and that jail medical staff repeatedly refused her requests to go to a hospital, while court documents say she died of a heart attack.
Reported by: autopsy report cited by her attorney and daughter; Deborah Young and attorney Dan Smolen (family or their lawyers); federal jury and court documents.
Lawsuit: Her estate sued and a federal jury awarded $82 million, finding that the jail's private medical provider, Correctional Healthcare Companies, violated her civil rights by refusing needed medical care.