Jean Carolyn McGirt
Jean Carolyn McGirt, 56, was a mother of five who worked as a home health-care aide for her sister-in-law, and friends said she often looked out for neighbors and their dogs and let people stay with her when they had nowhere else to go. She died on August 25, 2018, in the medical unit of the Durham County jail, where she had been held for a little over a day. The Durham County Sheriff's Office said there was no indication of suicide at that point, and a state investigation found no documented checks in the hours before her death, while jail officials said deputies made rounds that were not recorded. Her family wants answers about how she was left unattended, and the cause of death was still pending with the State Medical Examiner's Office.
Cause of death, as reported: Cause not yet determined (disputed; neglect alleged). The sheriff's office said there was no indication of suicide and sent her body to the State Medical Examiner's Office, while her family wants answers about how she was left unattended and a state investigation found no documented checks in the hours before her death, though jail officials say deputies made unrecorded rounds.
Reported by: Durham County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held her); State Bureau of Investigation (outside investigators); family.