Jalen Proft
Jalen Proft was an adopted son and brother, one of 13 children raised by Mary Jane and Thomas Proft, who also fostered 85 other children; his mother remembers him as the most lovable of her children and recalls his soft hugs. According to his family, he was beaten to death in 2021 by another person held at the Washington County Jail in Wisconsin, and that person later pleaded guilty to his murder. In August 2024 the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county, the sheriff and several corrections officers, arguing that staff failed to protect him. The sheriff's office declined to comment on the pending litigation, and the family says the jail's cameras had blind spots and no video of the death has been released.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (neglect alleged). The family and their attorney say another person held in the jail beat him to death, and their wrongful death lawsuit says staff failed to protect him and that the jail's cameras had blind spots.
Reported by: his family, family attorney Nate Cade, and their wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers); court records.
Lawsuit: His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in August 2024 against Washington County, the sheriff and several corrections officers, arguing that staff failed to protect him.