Ryan Andrew Wodziak
Ryan Andrew Wodziak, 36, died on February 17, 2023, while held in the Hennepin County jail. According to a Minnesota Department of Corrections inspection report, he was hanged with a bedsheet tied around his neck, and the report says deputies ran late on wellbeing checks and falsified paperwork for one check that never happened that day. His parents, Jill Myers and James Wodziak, are suing the county jail and Hennepin Healthcare, saying he was kept in solitary confinement for about four months despite a well-documented history of mental illness and was not properly cared for. Their lawyer says people with severe mental illness belong in treatment facilities rather than jail. The sheriff's office expressed condolences and said the well-being of those in custody is its priority.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). A Minnesota Department of Corrections inspection report says he hanged himself with a bedsheet and that deputies ran late on wellbeing checks and falsified paperwork for a check that never happened, while his parents' lawsuit alleges the jail and Hennepin Healthcare failed to properly care for him despite his known mental illness.
Reported by: Minnesota Department of Corrections inspection report (outside investigators); his parents' lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His parents sued Hennepin County and Hennepin Healthcare over his death, alleging failures in his care; no settlement or award amount is reported.