The Denton County Sheriff\u2019s Office conducted an outside investigation into Phillips\u2019 death \u2014\u00a0which is required by the state<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 and KERA obtained the investigation report through an open records request. The investigation determined jail staff did not break any criminal laws or violate any relevant policies in caring for Phillips.<\/p>\n The Tarrant County Sheriff\u2019s Office wasn\u2019t surprised by the findings, spokesperson Laurie Passman wrote in an emailed statement.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the outset, we had full confidence that an investigation would affirm the professionalism and integrity of our Detention staff,\u201d she said. \u201cThey remain committed to treating every individual in our custody with respect and care.\u201d<\/p>\n Since 2020, four people have died of dehydration in jail custody, including Phillips. All\u00a0had a history of mental illness<\/a>, and all had water fountains in their cells, according to the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n Phillips only died because jail medical staff failed her, said Krish Gundu, co-founder of the nonprofit advocacy organization Texas Jail Project.<\/p>\n \u201cThe excuse of like, \u2018We followed policy, and so, shrug, it\u2019s not our fault,\u2019 is a terrible excuse,\u201d Gundu said. \u201cOr maybe it tells us we need better policies for scenarios like this, because this is not the first time this has happened.\u201d<\/p>\n John Peter Smith Hospital, which is in charge of medical care in the Tarrant County Jail, did not respond to an email with questions about the protocol for when someone is not eating or drinking.<\/p>\n Phillips has a documented history of psychosis, and doctors noted a paranoia about food. Her medical records also list severe allergies.<\/p>\n Her medical records also show this wasn\u2019t the first time she stopped eating in jail \u2014 the same thing happened during a previous incarceration.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not clear how long Phillips went without eating or drinking before she died. One jail record noted she had not eaten since Jan. 27, according to her medical file. Another report said Phillips accepted a meal tray on Feb. 11, but it wasn\u2019t clear how much she ate. According to Denton County\u2019s investigation, Phillips refused \u201capproximately half of all meals\u201d during her incarceration.<\/p>\n Denton County Sgt. Jimmy Burke reviewed jail and medical records and found no evidence of injuries, bruising, or foul play leading to Phillips\u2019 hospitalization, according to the report.<\/p>\n Denton County Capt. Ron Pettigrew also reviewed relevant Tarrant County Sheriff\u2019s Office policies and found no violations. Phillips declined her daily meals, and she wouldn\u2019t let providers check her weight or give IV hydration, Pettigrew noted.<\/p>\n If someone is not eating and is refusing care, jail is not the right place for them, said\u00a0Dr. Homer Venters<\/a>, a correctional health doctor who works as a federal monitor of healthcare in jails and prisons.<\/p>\n \u201cThe patient has to go to the hospital if we think that they\u2019re getting worse, or we can\u2019t figure out whether or not they\u2019re getting worse,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n That\u2019s especially true for people with mental illness, whose condition can deteriorate in the isolation of a jail cell, Venters said.<\/p>\n JPS staff are in charge of deciding when to send people to the hospital, Passman previously told KERA News. Once Phillips was sent to JPS on Feb. 15, doctors determined she could not understand the risks of refusing care, so they treated her despite her objections, according to her medical records. She died three days later.<\/p>\n Those kinds of competency examinations need to happen in the jail itself, according to Venters.<\/p>\n Spokesperson Dawn Fernald defended JPS\u2019 care in a statement about Phillips earlier this year.<\/p>\n \u201cAny inmate requiring medical attention or treatment receives individualized care in accordance with his or her unique circumstances,\u201d she wrote. \u201cWhile we are unable to comment on specific patient matters, we do take all inmates\u2019 health needs seriously and strive to deliver the most appropriate care in every instance.\u201d<\/p>\n No investigation into a death is complete without an independent medical expert taking a look, too, Venters said. Such a review was not included in Denton County\u2019s report. KERA News requested an interview from the Denton County Sheriff\u2019s Office but did not hear back before this story\u2019s deadline.<\/p>\n Phillips\u2019 daughter, Maranda Mills, has sued the county for information about her mother\u2019s death. Her attorney, Chidi Anunobi, said the investigation proves the Tarrant County Jail failed Phillips.<\/p>\n \u201cThe main message is that this case is bigger than Kimberly Phillips,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about taking responsibility. It\u2019s about value for life, even if the person is an inmate.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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