Jacob Jung said it was a “nightmare” to learn last year that his father had died of complications from diabetes in a Philadelphia prison.
“I was really angry, I was really angry at life, I was really angry at the city, I was really angry at the system that we were in,” he said Monday.
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Jacob, 23, and his brother James, 19, claim their father, Louis John Jr.'s death on Nov. 6 was preventable, and are seeking assistance from the city, the Philadelphia Bureau of Prisons and city medical services. is suing the company. prison.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court, alleges “grossly inappropriate policies and practices.”This was a preventable medical disaster that should have been avoided by adhering to basic medical standards of type I diabetes treatment. ”
Louis Jung Jr., 50, of South Philadelphia, died at Callan Fromhold Correctional Facility in Holmesburg after 23 months of pretrial confinement, which included admissions to Nazareth Hospital and Norristown Psychiatric Hospital. . Reportedly, he detained on suspicion The case stems from a robbery incident in 2021, and a mental health evaluation was being conducted to determine if he was fit to stand trial.
The Anti-Slavery Law Center, a public interest law firm representing Chung's family, said the prison monitored Chung's blood sugar levels, administered insulin and sent him to the hospital if his blood sugar levels became dangerously high. He claims he failed to send it. Jung returned to Callan Fromhold from Norristown Asylum 10 days before his death.
“The city is reviewing the complaint and will not comment,” a spokesperson for the city's legal department said in an email.
Cities are facing a similar situation lawsuit The application was filed by the mother of 22-year-old Rahsaan Chambers, who died from complications on April 6, 2021. diabetic ketoacidosis – A condition that develops when the body does not have enough insulin to help sugar enter cells. Ebony Chambers claims her son died as a result of medical negligence at Callan Fromhold.
According to records obtained by the Abolitionist Law Center, 62 people have died in the city's jails in the past five years.
Among them is Amanda Cahill, 31, who died at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center in Holmesburg while being tested for withdrawal symptoms related to opioid use disorder. Cahill's family said he was left untested for hours.The Abolition Law Center said several inmates told the organization that other inmates had been making noise in hopes of receiving medical assistance from Cahill. Cahill's family has hired a lawyer.
A week after Cahill's death, Michael McInnis,61, died beMr Curran-Fromhold urged families: ask whether his death could have been avoided. At the time, prison authorities said a “routine investigation” into his cause of death was underway.
Rupally Rashatwar, one of the lawyers representing the Chong family, said the Bureau of Prisons is filing a lawsuit to hold the city accountable for the “callous indifference” it “showed to people inside its prisons.”
In 2020, 10 inmates filed a class action lawsuit in federal court against the Philadelphia Bureau of Prisons and the city over inhumane conditions and other civil rights violations. A 2022 agreement in the case appointed a federal monitor to oversee the city's implementation of specific improvements to the prison department, including addressing a vacancy rate of more than 40% for correctional officers. In April, a judge found the city in contempt for violating the 2022 agreement and ordered it to prioritize filling staff vacancies and pay $25 million into a fund to be used for jail improvements.
“It becomes very difficult to actually operate and maintain a safe facility when this many staff members are simply absent,” LaChatoire said. “It's not just (Callan Fromhold), it's actually across all prisons.”
Mr. Jung was diagnosed as follows. type 1 diabetes As adolescence. This chronic condition is caused by the pancreas producing little or no insulin. There is no cure for type 1 diabetes. The aim of treatment is to manage the amount of sugar in the blood through regular use of insulin and dietary and lifestyle measures to avoid complications. When blood sugar levels become too high, diabetic ketoacidosis occurs, which is caused by overload. ketones It is present in the blood and can be life-threatening if left untreated.
The complaint alleges that during his stay at the nursing home from October 28 to October 31, Chung was given insulin only 7 times out of 16 and his blood sugar levels tested only 5 times out of the required 8 times. There is. The amount of insulin given to Chong was not documented, nor was his blood sugar level recorded at the time of the test, according to the complaint. It also claims that the reason for the failure to administer insulin was not documented.
According to the complaint, from Nov. 1 to Nov. 6, Chong did not have his insulin or blood sugar levels tested.
Yes, care, backed by private equity The prison health care contractor named as a defendant, the former Corizon Health, is currently in bankruptcy proceedings. 2023 story The company lost more than 25 contracts between 2016 and 2021 “amid litigation alleging substandard care,” according to The Marshall Project.
“YesCare has not yet received the complaint and as a matter of policy, we do not comment on pending litigation,” a company spokesperson said in an email. “State and federal privacy laws prohibit us from commenting on specific patient care.”
Chong's ex-wife Evelyn Tyson said she is currently caring for her third son Louis III, 30, who has cerebral palsy, by herself.
“The reality is we're going to mourn this forever,” Tyson said. “My children will never be the same again. I will never be the same again.”
