Jillian White
Jillian White, 64, of Woody Creek, Colorado, died on the evening of November 3, 2019, while held at the Pitkin County Jail. Her family's attorney said she had been deteriorating and was waiting for a transfer to a state mental health hospital, and that she had asked to be moved to a private facility; her lawyers have said she suffers from a brain injury. The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office said deputies found her unresponsive in her cell at about 6:18 p.m. and is investigating the death as a suicide, saying she was not on suicide watch and was last checked 15 to 30 minutes before she was found, a timing the family's attorney has questioned. Sheriff Joe DiSalvo said she was not classified as a suicide risk and that he and others share responsibility for what happened.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (neglect alleged). The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office says Jillian White died by suicide and was not on suicide watch, while her family's attorney, Jennifer Longtin, says she had been deteriorating while waiting for a transfer to a state mental health hospital and that the jail did not act on her needs.
Reported by: Pitkin County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held her); Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo (the agency that held her); family attorney Jennifer Longtin (family or their lawyers).