Steven Andrade
Steven Andrade, 25, of Brockton, was held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility when, according to officials, he hanged himself in July 2014. He died about two and a half weeks later at a state-run hospital in Boston from brain damage caused by the hanging, according to an assistant district attorney and a sheriff's office spokesman. His older brother, Rolando Andrade, said Steven had schizophrenia, and the family accuses jail officials and guards of verbal abuse and of ignoring his need for mental health treatment. The death was not made public at the time, and the suicide was confirmed only after the Patriot Ledger asked about it. The family wants answers about what led up to his death.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). Prosecutor Bridget Norton Middleton and sheriff's spokesman John Birtwell say he hanged himself in the jail, causing fatal brain damage, while his family accuses jail officials and guards of verbal abuse and of ignoring his need for mental health treatment.
Reported by: Plymouth County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Bridget Norton Middleton, assistant district attorney in Plymouth County; his family; Patriot Ledger (reporters).