Hector Rivas
Hector Rivas, a 64-year-old man formerly of Cazenovia, died at the Onondaga County jail in Syracuse while held pretrial. His family's lawsuit, filed by lawyer Michell Rudderow, says he lost weight for more than a year and was prescribed protein shakes without a timely diagnosis or treatment. The lawsuit says he was found to have Stage 4 pancreatic cancer shortly before he died. He told staff in May 2016 that he felt like he was wasting away, and the county jail did not publicly respond, citing the ongoing lawsuit.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (neglect alleged). His family's lawsuit says he died of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and that jail staff did not timely diagnose or treat his weight loss over more than a year.
Reported by: his family, through a lawsuit filed by lawyer Michell Rudderow (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued over his death at the Onondaga County jail, alleging he did not receive timely diagnosis or treatment for pancreatic cancer; no settlement or award amount is reported.