Sean Hanchett
Sean Hanchett, 32, was booked into the Snohomish County Jail in Everett in December 2022 while going through opioid withdrawal, after being prescribed Suboxone at a hospital. His mother, Peggy Hanchett, has sued the county, the sheriff's office and jail staff, alleging they did not provide adequate medical care and that he was placed in a solitary unit without regular monitoring. The county reached a $2.5 million settlement without admitting liability, and he was found dead on December 11, 2022. The medical examiner attributed the death to complications of chronic fentanyl and methamphetamine use.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). The medical examiner attributed the death to complications of chronic fentanyl and methamphetamine use, while his mother's lawsuit alleges jail staff failed to give him medical care during opioid withdrawal and placed him in a solitary unit without regular monitoring.
Reported by: Snohomish County medical examiner (medical examiner or coroner); Peggy Hanchett's lawsuit against Snohomish County and jail staff (family or their lawyers); Snohomish County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His mother sued Snohomish County, the sheriff's office and jail staff over his death, and the county settled for $2.5 million without admitting liability.