Victoria "Tori" Herr
Tori Herr was 18 years old, a 2014 graduate of Cedar Crest High School, and her family described her as a gifted artist and a caring daughter, sister and friend. She was held at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania in late March 2015 while going through heroin withdrawal, and she collapsed on March 31 and died in hospital on April 5. Her mother, Stephanie Moyer, and the family's lawyers say jail staff ignored her worsening condition and her requests for medical care, and that she was not examined or monitored as her intake report recommended. The Pennsylvania State Police ruled the death accidental, citing coroner findings of complications of chronic substance abuse and anorexia, and the warden said the prison followed its protocols. The county settled the family's claims for about $4.75 million without any admission of wrongdoing.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). Her mother and the family's lawyers say staff ignored her untreated heroin withdrawal and dehydration for days, while state police, citing the coroner's autopsy, ruled the death accidental from complications of chronic substance abuse and anorexia.
Reported by: Pennsylvania State Police (outside investigators); Lebanon County Coroner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Stephanie Moyer and the family's lawyers, in a federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers); former cellmate; Lebanon County Correctional Facility warden (the agency that held her).
Lawsuit: Her family sued Lebanon County in a federal civil rights and wrongful death suit, and the county settled the family's claims for $4.75 million without any admission of wrongdoing by employees.
Sources (15)
- Girl mourned at protest at Lebanon prison
- Cellmate recalls Tori Herr's final days
- Death of Lebanon prison inmate Victoria Herr accidental, police rule
- State police say death of woman who collapsed at Lebanon County jail was accidental
- Tori Herr's mother sues county over death
- Dying by detox: Heroin-related jail deaths raise alarm with advocates
- Warden says Lebanon County prison followed all protocols
- Police investigating Lebanon County inmate's death
- Advocates fear more heroin withdrawal deaths in jails
- Tori Herr (Lebanon County Correctional Facility)
- Family of 18-year-old who died in Lebanon County Prison awarded $4.75 million in settlement
- Family To Get Nearly $5M Payout From Pennsylvania County Over Teen's Heroin Withdrawal Death In Jail
- Pennsylvania county to pay $4.75M in jailed teen's heroin withdrawal death
- Family Wins Lawsuit Against County After Daughter Dies In Jail From Heroin Withdrawal
- County to pay nearly $5M over teen's heroin withdrawal death inside jail - WBAL-TV