Jacob Parenti
Jacob Parenti, 33, was held at the Monterey County Jail in California, where he was found unresponsive in his cell on January 15, 2014. He was close to his son, and in 2012 he won custody of the boy, while people who knew him, including his attorney, described him as friendly and easy to like. His family says he had flu-like symptoms, coughed up blood and filed sick call requests that went unanswered, and their lawsuit alleges a deputy left without summoning medical help when he could not wake him. Jail authorities said he died of a drug overdose, while an independent autopsy commissioned by the family found flu complicated by pneumonia; the county said he died of acute mixed drug intoxication, denied negligence, and settled the case for $365,000 without admitting fault.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). Jail authorities say he died of a drug overdose, while the family's independent autopsy found flu complicated by pneumonia, and the family's lawsuit says a deputy left without summoning medical attention when he could not wake him for sick call; the family also says he filed sick call requests that went unanswered.
Reported by: Monterey County jail authorities (the agency that held him); family's independent autopsy (medical examiner or coroner); family's lawsuit and attorney Lori Rifkin (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Monterey County over his death at the Monterey County jail, and the county settled for $365,000 without admitting fault.