Lamar Catchings
Lamar Catchings, 20, died on March 1, 2019, while held at the St. Louis County jail in Clayton, Missouri. His mother, Tashonda Troupe, said he was healthy before he was held there. The medical examiner's autopsy found acute promyelocytic leukemia, which was not diagnosed during his time at the jail, and the report says he had complained of illness for more than a week and that a corrections officer did not follow the required inmate check protocol the night before he died. A federal civil rights lawsuit filed by his mother says he was repeatedly seen by nurses but not sent to a doctor, and that the leukemia was treatable; the county had not responded to a request for comment when the suit was reported.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The autopsy attributes his death to acute promyelocytic leukemia, which was not diagnosed while he was held, and the medical examiner's report says a corrections officer skipped required night checks; his mother Tashonda Troupe and a federal civil rights lawsuit say he was ignored and his treatable leukemia was not treated, and the county had not responded to a request for comment.
Reported by: St. Louis County medical examiner's office (medical examiner or coroner); Tashonda Troupe, his mother (family or their lawyers); federal civil rights lawsuit filed by his mother; St. Louis County internal affairs report (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His mother, Tashonda Troupe, sued St. Louis County in federal court, alleging that he was denied adequate medical care before he died of leukemia.
Sources (5)
- News report
- St. Louis County inmate died from leukemia, autopsy finds
- Reports Say Staff Could Have Done More To Help 5 St. Louis County Jail Inmates Who Died
- Mother of man whose vomit resembled motor oil in jail before he died files lawsuit against St. Louis County
- Inmate died of leukemia after pleading for help, federal lawsuit claims