Mitchell Campbell
Mitchell Campbell, a 26-year-old man with schizophrenia, died on July 12, 2014, while held at the Franklin County jail in Washington. His family said he had a long struggle with meth and alcohol and would cry out to Jesus and God to save him, and they have said his death should never have happened and that more must be done to help the mentally ill. The Franklin County Coroner's Office ruled the death an apparent seizure caused by drug and alcohol abuse, and prosecutors agreed with a medical examiner's report that it was from natural causes. A wrongful-death claim filed by the family's attorney says hospital staff, Pasco police and jail staff failed to give him needed medical care after he had seizures and was released from Lourdes Medical Center, and it seeks more than $30 million in damages.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The coroner ruled the death an apparent seizure caused by drug and alcohol abuse, but his family's wrongful-death claim says hospital, police and jail staff failed to give him needed medical care after his seizures.
Reported by: Franklin County Coroner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); prosecutors; his family's attorney's wrongful-death claim (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family's attorney filed a wrongful-death claim against Franklin County and others, seeking more than $30 million, and no settlement or award is reported.