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Died in jail or a lockup

Melvin Bush

59 years old · died March 5, 2023 · Olmsted County Adult Detention Center, Olmsted County, Minnesota

Melvin Bush, 59, was a family man, according to his obituary as cited in local reporting, and his grandchildren called him 'Papa'. He died on March 5, 2023, while held at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center in Rochester, Minnesota; the sheriff's office said deputies found him not breathing during a well-being check, and he was pronounced dead at St. Mary's Hospital. His daughter, Areryana Bush, and the family's federal wrongful-death lawsuit say he developed severe abdominal pain and vomiting, that staff dismissed his symptoms and did not send him for emergency care, and that his cries for help went unanswered. An autopsy, as cited in the lawsuit, attributed his death to a perforated duodenal ulcer that progressed to sepsis, and the defendants, including the medical contractor Advanced Correctional Healthcare, dispute that his care was inadequate.

Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The medical examiner attributed the death to natural causes, a perforated duodenal ulcer that progressed to sepsis, but his family's federal lawsuit says jail staff and Advanced Correctional Healthcare ignored his abdominal pain, vomiting and cries for help, and ACH disputes that its care was inadequate.

Reported by: Olmsted County medical examiner (medical examiner or coroner); family's federal wrongful-death lawsuit (daughter Areryana Bush and attorney Jeff Storms) (family or their lawyers).

Lawsuit: His family filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit against Olmsted County and medical contractor Advanced Correctional Healthcare, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.

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Questions, a correction, or a death I’ve missed? Email me at orion.j.taylor@gmail.com.