Tiffany Rusher
Tiffany Rusher, 27, died in 2017 while held at the Sangamon County Jail in Illinois, and her mother's federal lawsuits describe a history of mental illness and self-harm. The lawsuits say doctors advised against keeping her in isolation, yet she was held in isolated confinement for nearly four months, and that she improved with therapy at a state mental health facility in Springfield. The coroner determined she died by suicide, strangling herself with a strip of towel, and the lawsuit says staff left her unsupervised for about 15 minutes after a shower. Her mother says she died at a hospital about 12 days later, and the county has defended itself in the lawsuit.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The coroner ruled it a suicide, but her mother's federal lawsuit says jail staff left her unsupervised for about 15 minutes after a shower and kept her in isolation despite doctors' advice against it.
Reported by: the coroner; her mother's federal lawsuit, through attorney Alan Mills (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: Her mother filed federal lawsuits against Sangamon County and the state, alleging that jail staff failed to protect Tiffany Rusher from suicide, and the county has defended itself in the case.