Maggie Copeland
Maggie Copeland, 29, of Mansfield, took pride in her long hair, and her father, Jon Copeland, said she was hurting and needed help, not a lost cause. She was held at the Richland County Jail in May 2022, and a guard found her without a pulse when bringing breakfast on May 11; she was pronounced dead at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital about half an hour later. The Montgomery County Medical Examiner's Office autopsy lists dehydration with renal failure as the cause, with drug abuse contributing. A federal lawsuit says jail staff ignored obvious signs of drug withdrawal and did not provide the medical care she needed.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The Montgomery County Medical Examiner's autopsy lists dehydration with renal failure as the cause, with drug abuse contributing, while her father's federal lawsuit alleges that jail staff ignored obvious signs of drug withdrawal and did not provide necessary medical care.
Reported by: Montgomery County Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); her father's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers); her father.
Lawsuit: Her father sued Richland County in a wrongful death lawsuit over her death at the Richland County Jail, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.
Sources (5)
- 29-year-old inmate dies at Richland County Jail
- Federal lawsuit filed against Richland County Jail medical staff over Bucyrus man's death
- Mansfield woman dies after arriving at hospital after Richland County Jail stay
- Dying Behind Bars: At least 220 people died in Ohio jails over 4 years
- Families protest, seeking justice for loves ones who died in care of Richland County Jail