Joseph Brian Watts Jr.
Joseph Watts, Jr., 35, was held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County, South Carolina. His wife, Natalia Watts, says in a wrongful death lawsuit that he was going through opiate and alcohol withdrawal and that jail staff knew of his history of drug and alcohol dependence but did not respond in time as his symptoms worsened. The lawsuit says he collapsed at his cell door on July 14, 2024, and was pronounced dead at Conway Medical Center. The suit blames the contracted medical provider, Mediko, for failing to intervene, and the Horry County Coroner's Office has not yet released a cause or manner of death.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff. His wife Natalia Watts's lawsuit says jail staff knew of his drug and alcohol dependency but did not respond in time to his worsening withdrawal, and that the contracted provider Mediko failed to intervene.
Reported by: Natalia Watts, his wife and representative of his estate, through a lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His wife, Natalia Watts, sued Mediko over his death in a wrongful death lawsuit; no settlement or award amount has been reported.
Sources (4)
- Incarceration Transparency, South Carolina Deaths Behind Bars (Prof. Madalyn Wasilczuk and Incarceration Transparency)
- J. Reuben Long inmate dies after being transported to hospital
- 2 Horry County jail inmates die within months of each other. What happened?
- Man left vomiting until unconscious in Horry Co. jail cell before death, suit claims