LaCrisha Cate
LaCrisha Cate was 34 and held at the Okanogan County jail in Washington in August 2023. Her mother, Joleen McKinney, remembers her as fun, giggly and close to family, and says she left three children and many relatives who miss her. The family's federal lawsuit says she was vomiting and in withdrawal, received no medical intake exam, and was left alone on a shower floor for more than three hours before she was found unresponsive. Paramedics revived her, but she never regained consciousness and died after several days on life support, and the family says the county failed to provide appropriate withdrawal care.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (neglect alleged). The death certificate lists polysubstance abuse, cardiac arrest and brain hypoxia, while her family's federal lawsuit says jail staff gave no medical intake exam and left her alone on a shower floor for over three hours while she was vomiting and in withdrawal.
Reported by: death certificate; family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: Her family filed a federal lawsuit alleging Okanogan County failed to provide appropriate withdrawal care and left her alone on a shower floor for more than three hours.