Tasharra Michelle Thomas
Tasharra Michelle Thomas, 33, died in a Guilford County, North Carolina jail in early May 2018, and the reports give either May 2 or May 3 as the date. The Guilford County Sheriff's Office initially said the death was not considered suspicious. The state medical examiner later found that she died of sepsis due to infective endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart, and classified the death as natural. Her family disputes that account, and a wrongful-death lawsuit alleges abuse and inadequate treatment, while the Sheriff's Office denies she was physically abused and says its investigations found no such abuse.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The medical examiner ruled the death natural from sepsis due to infective endocarditis, but Thomas's family's wrongful-death lawsuit alleges abuse and inadequate treatment by staff, which the Sheriff's Office denies.
Reported by: North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (medical examiner or coroner); Thomas's family, in their wrongful-death lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Guilford County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held her).
Lawsuit: Her family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit alleging abuse and inadequate treatment, and the Guilford County Sheriff's Office denied she was physically abused.