Lamekia Dockery
Lamekia Dockery, a 36-year-old Black woman, grew up singing gospel in a church choir in Gary, Indiana, loved math, and looked after her two younger sisters. She was held at the Elkhart Community Corrections work-release facility in Goshen, Indiana, and died in 2018 after about six days of vomiting, stomach pain and requests for medical help. The Elkhart County coroner said she died of sepsis, probably caused by a perforated ulcer. Records and fellow people held at the facility describe repeated requests for help that went unanswered, and the county prosecutor declined to file criminal charges.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The Elkhart County coroner ruled she died of sepsis from an untreated perforated ulcer, while records and fellow inmates' accounts say staff ignored repeated requests for help over six days of vomiting and stomach pain, and the prosecutor declined to file charges.
Reported by: Elkhart County coroner's office (medical examiner or coroner); Elkhart County prosecutor's office; Elkhart Community Corrections work-release facility (the agency that held her); fellow inmates.