A 38-year-old Massachusetts state prisoner died June 3 after being hospitalized with meningitis, and his family says the warning signs had been building for months. The death of Rolando “Eloy” Figueredo is now the subject of a state review focused on what happened before he reached a Worcester hospital.
Family Says His Symptoms Were Dismissed
Figueredo developed what relatives described as a cold in March while serving a two-year sentence at MCI-Shirley. His family says the illness worsened into fluid draining from his ear, intense headaches and fever, but prison medical staff offered Tylenol instead of the antibiotics he requested and told him he was exaggerating.
By late May, Figueredo had been hospitalized at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, according to The Boston Globe. Relatives said he was intubated and unresponsive when they arrived, and that hospital staff asked his father about a do-not-resuscitate agreement before Figueredo died about 15 minutes before the family reached him on June 3.
Meningitis is inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord, and the cause can affect both diagnosis and treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. UMass Memorial said it does not comment publicly on the care of specific patients.
State Review Has Not Reached A Public Finding
The Massachusetts Department of Correction has launched a mortality review examining staffing, training, equipment, treatment and other factors in Figueredo’s death. The review was nearing completion and could include “recommendations for improvement,” the Globe reported.
The department’s public healthcare guidance says incarcerated people may request emergent, urgent or routine care through correctional staff or contracted healthcare providers. It also says patients should be assessed by qualified professionals and receive care aligned with community standards, according to the Massachusetts Department of Correction.
VitalCore Took Over Prison Healthcare In 2024
The case comes as Massachusetts relies on VitalCore Health Strategies to provide medical, dental and behavioral healthcare at 10 state correctional facilities, including MCI-Shirley. The company began a five-year, $770 million contract on July 1, 2024, replacing Wellpath, according to a state announcement.
No official cause of death has been released, and the state medical examiner’s autopsy results remain pending. Figueredo’s family has also commissioned an independent autopsy, so the reported connection between his earlier illness and meningitis remains an allegation until medical findings and the DOC review are complete.
