Julie E. Starks
Julie E. Starks, 38, had friends, including Chris Wilson, and her mother, Kathy Parrish, was invited by the sheriff to discuss what happened. Sources say she had been institutionalized for mental health issues before she died at the Marion County Jail in Kansas in early December 2020. Sheriff Rob Craft said she died by suicide, strangling herself with shoelaces, and that she was alone for roughly 20 minutes before staff found her. A news report said she had been left for about a day and a half with the shoelaces, and Wilson said the wait was longer and that a jailer repeatedly delayed completing her intake.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). Sheriff Rob Craft said she was left alone about 20 minutes before staff found her, while her friend Chris Wilson says the wait was longer, a jailer repeatedly delayed her booking, and disputes who performed chest compressions and what happened during resuscitation.
Reported by: Marion County Sheriff Rob Craft (the agency that held her); Chris Wilson, a friend of Starks (family or their lawyers); Peabody Gazette-Bulletin (reporters).