Shirley Barney
Shirley Barney, 52, died in May 2022 while held at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. The medical examiner's autopsy found that she died of a fentanyl overdose, and the sheriff's office says she took drugs that another woman in her cell had supplied. Investigators say a cell call button she pressed about two minutes later was reset after 13 seconds while staff attended to another matter. Staff found her unresponsive hours later, after she missed a medical call, though one report says it was more than 10 hours, and the county says a critical incident report will follow the sheriff's investigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (neglect alleged). The sheriff's office says a cellmate supplied the fentanyl, and investigators say a cell call button was reset after 13 seconds while staff attended to another matter, with staff finding her unresponsive more than 10 hours later.
Reported by: Escambia County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held her); Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner).
News reports (4)
- Arrest report details day of woman's fentanyl overdose death inside Escambia County Jail - WEAR-TV
- Woman Charged With Fentanyl Overdose Death Of Her Escambia Jail Cellmate
- Autopsy report confirms Escambia County inmate died from fentanyl overdose in 2022 - WEAR-TV
- Pensacola woman gets life sentence for deadly fentanyl overdose of Escambia jail cellmate - WEAR-TV