Megan K. McAndrew
Meghan McAndrew was a 41-year-old woman from Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, whose father, Timothy McAndrew of Paxinos, and husband, Rory Long of Orangeville, are named in the case. According to a lawsuit, she was placed on suicide watch at Northumberland County Prison in early February 2022, a status that required checks every 15 minutes. She was found in her cell early on February 11, 2022, and was pronounced dead at a hospital, and Coroner James F. Kelley ruled the death a suicide by hanging. Her father's federal wrongful death lawsuit says staff did not check on her for about three hours and points to understaffing, inadequate training and a weak psychological evaluation. The county denies liability and has brought PrimeCare Medical into the case, and PrimeCare denies negligence.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The coroner ruled it suicide by hanging, but her father's estate lawsuit says staff failed to do the required 15-minute suicide watch checks for about three hours and had inadequate training and understaffing, and the county has brought PrimeCare Medical into the case, which denies negligence.
Reported by: Coroner James F. Kelley (medical examiner or coroner); Her father Timothy McAndrew, as administrator of her estate, in a federal wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: Her father, Timothy McAndrew, as administrator of her estate, sued in federal court over her death at Northumberland County Prison, alleging understaffing and missed suicide-watch checks, and the county brought PrimeCare Medical into the case, which denies negligence; no settlement or award has been reported.
Sources (5)
- Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Death in Custody Reporting Act dashboard
- Wrongful death suit filed over female inmate’s suicide in a Pa. county prison
- Father of female inmate who died by suicide files wrongful death lawsuit against Northumberland County
- Harrisburg health care provider brought into suit over suicide at Pa. prison
- Medical providers dismissed from suit over suicide in Pa. county jail