How old was LaShawn Thompson? Fulton County jail inmate eaten alive by bed bugs, family demands answers

LaShawn Thompson, an inmate from Fulton County Jail, in Atlanta, Georgia, was found dead in his cell after being eaten alive by bed bugs and insects, as per a statement by his attorney on Thursday, April 13, 2023.

Trigger Warning: This article contains written and graphic references to a gruesome death. Reader discretion is advised.

The 35-year-old was arrested for a simple misdemeanor battery in Atalanta in June 2022, and taken to prison. He was moved to a psychiatric ward within the facility after authorities determined he suffered from mental health issues. It is to be noted that he was not convicted for the crime.

According to USA Today, the Fulton County Medical Examiner released a report stating that Thompson was found unresponsive in his cell on September 19, 2022. He was soon pronounced dead after medical and law enforcement personnel failed to revive him despite administering life-saving measures.

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Fulton County Coroner added that Thompson's body showed no obvious signs of trauma

The exact cause of Thompson's death was marked as "undetermined." USA Today adds that the coroner's report stated the 35-year-old's cell was infested with "severe bed bugs." The report also notes that it was unclear when the victim was last seen alive.

Public records for the prison indicated that the facility's staff, including medical personnel, were aware of LaShawn Thompson's declining health leading up to his death but refused to take any action.

LaShawn's room at the Fulton County Jail (Image via Atlanta News First)

In a press release, Thompson's family attorney, Michael D. Harper, remarked on his deteriorating health and his death, stating:

"They literally watched his health decline until he died... When his body was found one of the detention officers refused to administer CPR because in her words she 'freaked out.' The jail cell Mr. Thompson was housed in was not fit for a diseased animal. He did not deserve this."

In his interview with Atlanta News First, Harper stated that his client's death at the Fulton County Jail was one of the most "inhumane deaths he had encountered."

LaShawn's room at the Fulton County Jail (Image via Atlanta News First)

In November 2022, the Southern Center for Human Rights added that the Fulton County Jail had "outbreaks of scabies and lice" last year and it was "dangerously understaffed and overcrowded." They further stated that at least ten others have died in 2022.

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Aftermath of LaShawn Thompson's death

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office also extended their condolences to Thompson's family and added that they have launched an investigation looking into his death. As part of the larger scheme of changes within the facility, the following actions are being taken:

• In addition to cleaning operation to curtail communicable diseases, they approved an additional $500,000 expenditure in the budget to "address the infestation of bed bugs, lice and other vermin" within the facility.
• Routine security protocols extended to include checking for sanitary conditions.

In a press release, Thompson's family attorney stated:

"Mr. Thompson was found dead in a filthy jail cell after being eaten alive by insects and bed bugs. We're asking for a criminal investigation into the matter and (major) changes at the jail."

In addition to the criminal investigation, Thompson's family is demanding that the Fulton County Jail be closed and a new complex be built in its place.