Joshua Belcher
Joshua Belcher was a 32-year-old musician. His family says he died by suicide in August 2017 at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Louisiana, after he had tried to hang himself earlier. According to the family's federal lawsuit against CorrectHealth, he was placed on suicide watch while detoxing and taken off it after telling a social worker he was no longer suicidal. Two days later, the lawsuit says, he hanged himself with a sheet, and the family alleges a policy of failing to prevent people at suicide risk from killing themselves.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). His family's federal lawsuit says he was taken off suicide watch after telling a social worker he was no longer suicidal, and that CorrectHealth's policy failed to prevent inmates at suicide risk from killing themselves.
Reported by: his family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued CorrectHealth in federal court, alleging the company had a policy of failing to prevent inmates at suicide risk from killing themselves; no settlement or award amount has been reported.