Joshua McLemore
Joshua McLemore, 29, had schizophrenia and was placed in a padded cell at the Jackson County Jail in Indiana in July 2021 after a welfare check led to a medical visit. His estate's lawsuit says he was left largely alone and unclothed for about 20 days, barely ate or drank, and lost roughly 45 pounds before he died on October 8, 2021. An autopsy report cited by PEOPLE attributed his death to multiple organ failure linked to refusing food and drink with an altered mental state. The estate blames the county, the sheriff, the jail's health contractor and jail staff, while the county prosecutor's office found no crimes by jail employees.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The Hamilton County coroner's autopsy attributes the death to multiple organ failure from refusing food and water, while his estate's lawsuit says jail staff left him largely alone and barely fed or watered for 20 days and blames the county, sheriff, health contractor and jail staff.
Reported by: Hamilton County Coroner (medical examiner or coroner); his estate's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate sued Jackson County, its sheriff, the jail's health contractor and jail staff over his death, alleging he was left largely alone and unclothed in a padded cell for 20 days before dying.