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| Fla. jail deputies cleared in inmates' deaths |
| By Naples News |
| Published: 02/23/2004 |
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Sheriff's jail deputies have been cleared of any wrongdoing in connection with two inmate deaths at the Collier County, Fla. jail, internal affairs reports show. Both investigations were required by Sheriff's Office policies. Francis McCloskey, 46, died in May 2002 from "blunt force head injuries" because of a psychotic illness after he struck his head against a hard surface in a jail cell, according to the medical examiner's office, which also ruled his death accidental. Reports give this account: Arrested April 20, 2002, McCloskey was being escorted out of his cell about a month later when he fell forward and hit his head on a table in the day room. He told the deputies that he wasn't hurt and that his medication had this effect on him. Deputies put him into a wheelchair and took him to the medical department to check him out. No injuries were found. A short time later, McCloskey seemed dizzy and deputies helped him to a chair. Early on May 25, they found McCloskey sitting in his cell, acting strangely. "I see him sitting in front of his toilet moving around and moaning and (hitting) the toilet...his entire body had blood on it," Deputy Ryan Treaga told investigators. A nurse reported that he was tearing up a book and throwing it inside the toilet. More deputies were called to help and McCloskey was incoherent and mumbling. He seemed to be having a reaction to his medication, nurses told investigators. Deputies and members of the medical staff took him downstairs to another cell block on a makeshift stretcher. Deputies restrained him and tried to calm him down for the medical staff. Paramedics were called and he was taken to Naples Community Hospital for treatment. McCloskey died May 27. Internal affairs investigators found that the jail staff acted appropriately, although a policy was changed when a deputy didn't check on McCloskey in the medical unit earlier in the night. McCloskey had been arrested April 20, 2002, on a battery on a person 65 years of age or older after deputies said he attacked his 81-year-old father. Inmate John Michael Squires died last July after he had a seizure while in his jail bunk. He fell from the bed, cut his head and was taken to Naples Community Hospital, where he died three days later. On July 15, inmates got the attention of deputies after they heard Squires fall out of his bunk. His head was bleeding and he seemed to have had a seizure. Squires didn't know what had happened to him and would quickly forget conversations he had just had. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. An investigator interviewed Squires at the hospital and he told her wasn't hurt by any other inmates or deputies. Squires got stitches for his cut and doctors ran tests on him to determine what happened. Squires' condition worsened and, three days later, he lost consciousness and had to be put on a ventilator. On July 18, the ventilator was removed from Squires after his mother had signed a "do not resuscitate" order. The medical examiner's office concluded that Squires died of a cerebral infarction. His death was ruled a natural death. Internal investigators confirmed that the deputies took appropriate action to get him medical help and followed agency policies. |
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