Wyatt A. Young
Wyatt A. Young, a man, died in January 2021 while held at the Dorchester County Detention Center in Maryland. His mother, Cindy Kleger, obtained an emergency evaluation order because she feared for his safety and repeatedly called the facility to express her concern, and according to court documents the evaluation never took place and jail staff were told he was suicidal. The Baltimore Sun reports that a judge had ordered him taken to a hospital, that he was booked into the facility instead, and that a jail officer found him hanged in his cell about 17 and a half hours later, and that a police officer admitted defying the court order. The family's federal lawsuit against Dorchester County settled for $1 million in early 2026, and their attorney said the family is glad he has gotten some justice and does not want anyone else to go through this. Court filings dispute whether officers knew he was at risk before he died.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The court documents say Wyatt A. Young died by suicide by hanging after his mother's emergency evaluation order was never carried out and jail staff were told he was suicidal, and his family's lawsuit disputes whether officers knew he was at risk; the lawsuit settled for $1 million, and the county's agreement to settle a lawsuit over his death was reported by news outlets.
Reported by: court documents; his family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers); news report.
Lawsuit: His family sued Dorchester County in federal court over his death and the county settled for $1 million in January 2026.