Uniece Glenae Fennell
Uniece Glenae Fennell was 17 years old when she died in March 2017 in her cell at the Durham County Detention Center in Durham, North Carolina. While in jail, she learned that her twin brother had been killed, according to a family friend. The Durham County Sheriff's Office said preliminary evidence indicated suicide, and the Office of the Medical Examiner ruled her death a suicide. A state investigation found that jail officers did not check on her as required and did not report that she was a risk to herself. Her mother, Julia Graves, alleged in a lawsuit that the jail failed to provide mental health care, and the family settled for $650,000 and agreed to policy changes.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The Durham County Sheriff's Office and the Office of the Medical Examiner ruled her death a suicide by hanging, while her mother and family's lawsuit allege jail staff failed to provide mental health care and remove suicide hazards, and a state investigation found officers did not perform required checks on her.
Reported by: Durham County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held her); Office of the Medical Examiner (medical examiner or coroner); North Carolina DHHS Division of Health Service Regulation (outside investigators); Julia Graves, her mother, and the family's lawyers (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: Her family sued Durham County and reached a $650,000 settlement that also requires jail policy changes, pending federal court approval.
News reports (5)
- Teen charged in Durham murder found dead inside jail cell
- Report: Protocol not followed before Durham jail suicide
- Uniece Fennell: Family of teen who committed suicide at Durham County jail to get $650,000 in settlement
- Settlement would prompt policy change at Durham jail after teen's death
- Durham+jail+settles+suit+over+teen%E2%80%99s+suicide+for+%24650K