In a concerning lapse of oversight, seven jail inmates were left unattended for approximately two hours in a Kalamazoo County transport van inside a garage. The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) stated that the inmates, held in handcuffs and ankle shackles, were left unnoticed while staff were addressing a separate medical emergency, as reported by News 8. This incident led to two employees being placed on administrative leave, and changes to jail protocols have been made to prevent reoccurence.
Following their discovery, the inmates were medically examined and one was treated for a minor shoulder injury, stated KCSO. As the events unfolded inside the jail's garage at 1500 Lamont Avenue, a window of the van was broken out by an inmate in an attempt to get attention. “Everyone keep saying 'We are going to die.' I’m like, 'We are not going to die. We are good. They are going to come back to us eventually,'" Dominique Motton, one of the inmates, told News 8.
An internal investigation has been initiated by the sheriff's office to ascertain the reasons behind the incident, which unfolded on Monday. Initial steps included the interviews of the involved inmates and six staff members, after which four staff were allowed to return to work, while the two others remained on administrative leave according to WZZM 13. The follow-up investigation will include further interviews and video review to determine if there were policy or procedural violations.
Subsequent to the apology extended by Sheriff Richard Fuller and the KCSO jail command to the inmates, the jail has implemented a new protocol stipulating that all transports be unloaded in the jail receiving garage rather than the transport garage, as detailed by WZZM 13. Furthermore, it will be required that unused transport vans store with a passenger door open. These procedural changes aim to "mitigate an incident like this from happening again," KCSO added.
It's noted that, during the mishap with the unattended inmates a separate, fatal medical emergency occurred involving another inmate. This incident, however, was deemed unrelated to that of the unattended inmates. Terri Spiker, the mother of one of the trapped inmates, conveyed her shock and concern to UpNorthLive, saying, "They [the inmates] had to save their own lives. These guys couldn’t breathe.” The KCSO ensured that further details on the case would be shared pending advice from its corporate counsel.
