North Carolina's county jails recorded 81 deaths in 2025, according to state records, ending a brief downturn and putting local detention oversight back under a harsh spotlight. That total includes people who died inside jails as well as those who died after being moved to hospitals or while out of custody, leaving families and advocates pushing for clearer explanations of what went wrong.
Records obtained by The Charlotte Observer show the state counted 81 deaths in 2025, 64 that occurred inside county jails and 17 that happened when people were no longer in custody. The state review lists 40 deaths as natural causes, 12 as suicides, five as overdoses or possible overdoses and one as the result of an injury. Wake County reported the most deaths with six, followed by Forsyth with five and Mecklenburg, Gaston and Lincoln with four each. It is the highest annual total since 2022, when state records showed 90 jail‑related deaths.
How 2025 Stacks Up To Recent Years
The rise in deaths came after a short lull. County jails reported 62 deaths in 2024 and 63 in 2023, according to earlier state counts reported by The News & Observer. Journalists and watchdog groups caution that year to year shifts can reflect changes in how deaths are reported, where deaths are logged and whether someone dies inside a jail or after being transferred to medical care.
Oversight Complaints Keep Building
Advocates have repeatedly flagged chronic staffing shortages, inconsistent medical care and uneven death reviews as systemic problems in county lockups. Disability Rights NC and other organizations have documented rising in custody fatalities and pressed the state to expand inspections, standardize how deaths are reviewed and increase transparency so families can find out what actually happened behind bars.
National Blind Spots And Data Gaps
Experts say North Carolina's numbers fit into a national picture that is hazier than it should be. Death in custody counts across the country are hampered by inconsistent reporting and incomplete records, which makes it harder to compare jurisdictions or judge whether reforms are working. As detailed by a National Academies review, gaps in data collection and differences in how causes of death are recorded complicate efforts to identify patterns or track progress.
The Charlotte Observer's records also show the trend continuing into 2026, with 13 people connected to county jails reported dead as of late February 2026. That early tally signals the problem did not disappear when the calendar flipped. Families and legal advocates say they want faster public disclosure of each death and independent reviews when a case appears preventable.
In response, lawmakers, sheriffs and advocates are weighing changes that could include tighter reporting requirements, stronger mental health and medical care in jails and more independent oversight. Disability Rights NC and allied groups are pressing for policy shifts that would make thorough, public death reviews routine, so communities can see whether steps taken after each loss are actually preventing the next one.
