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Died in jail or a lockup

Jennifer Wade

41 years old · died February 23, 2025 · Cuyahoga County Corrections Center, Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Jennifer Wade, 41, was a mother of two who worked in telemarketing and had bipolar disorder, according to her family's federal lawsuit. She was held in the mental health unit of the Cuyahoga County Jail, where a corrections officer found her unresponsive on her cell floor just before 4 a.m. on February 23, 2025, and she was pronounced dead at MetroHealth Medical Center. An autopsy found that heart failure caused her death, and body camera video shows more than 15 minutes passed before chest compressions began, which a state review said was not started right away. The family's lawsuit, which seeks $50 million, says staff left her on the floor for hours before calling a nurse and alleges neglect and a cover-up. The county said she was being treated for preexisting conditions and that her death did not appear related to illegal substance use, and it did not respond to questions about the findings.

Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The autopsy found heart failure, but Jennifer Wade's family's federal lawsuit alleges neglect and a cover-up, and state inspectors concluded staff failed to start CPR for more than 15 minutes after she was found unresponsive in her mental health unit cell.

Reported by: Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Ohio state inspectors (Bureau of Adult Detention review) (outside investigators); Jennifer Wade's family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Body camera video released to the media (reporters).

Lawsuit: Her family sued Cuyahoga County, the sheriff and unnamed jail staff in federal court, seeking $50 million over her death in the Cuyahoga County Jail.

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