The family of a 27-year-old Army veteran, Christon Collins, is demanding clarity on the events that led to his death while he was incarcerated at DeKalb County Jail. Collins experienced a medical emergency on March 13 and, despite the efforts of the jail's medical team and DeKalb EMS, he later passed away at a local hospital following the incident, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
According to the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, Collins had been detained since Feb. 4 and was facing charges for obstruction of law enforcement and simple battery against police, and their Office of Professional Standards is now conducting an investigation into his death, which FOX 5 Atlanta has reported, the situation appears to be compounded by the deceased's mental health concerns, which his family has emphasized he's struggled with since his discharge from the military service.
Collins' mother, Jonia Milburn, continues to express her dismay and grief over the loss of her son, whom she stated was suffering from mental health issues that should have necessitated treatment at a health facility, not incarceration, “There's no reason my son should be dead in a jail cell,” Milburn said in a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta. Milburn recounted her son's erratic behavior leading to his arrest in December 2023, which included running across an interstate and colliding with a police vehicle, acts that she argues signal a clear need for psychological care.
The family is adamant on invoking change in the wake of Collins' death, not only regarding the DeKalb County Jail policies but also aiming to reform broader law enforcement strategies in dealing with mental health issues, as Milburn told FOX 5 Atlanta, “My son, he can't come back, but there needs to be change, change in these laws, change in how police handle not just veterans, but mental health. It's real.” The family plans to speak publicly about the necessary transformations they want to see instituted, a call to action that goes beyond their personal tragedy to potentially safeguard future lives.
