A report from Disability Rights Connecticut has found neglect as the cause of death for an inmate at Bridgeport Correctional Center who died in 2022 less than 24 hours after arriving.
Rachel Mirsky, an attorney with DRCT, led the investigation. She explained why it took nearly three years.
“We start off by asking for everything related to the incident and the individual, in this case, the John Doe. We find that we don’t get everything that we asked for, which again is a combination of obstruction, not knowing where the things are located, having to pull things from different locations or other agencies,” Mirsky said.
The report states that three nurses and five correctional staff falsified records to show they had done mandated checks on the inmate — but didn’t. They failed to provide CPR, which contributed to his death.
The man had been diagnosed with ALS and was withdrawing from opioids.
“Criminal charges have not been considered,” Mirsky said. “I can say that internally with the DOC, their response was to consider disciplinary action as it related to those individual’s employment, not criminal activity but an administrative decision, and that’s what we know. One was fired, and some disciplinary action was taken. One person is still pending as to what that disciplinary action will be as of April 2025.”
In a statement to WSHU, the DOC said they were reviewing the report.
“The leadership of the Department of Correction is in the process of reviewing the findings and the recommendations of the just-released investigation conducted by Disability Rights of Connecticut into the 2022 death of an incarcerated individual at the Bridgeport Correctional Center,” a spokesperson said. “The Department of Correction takes the health and wellbeing of all those under its supervision very seriously and continuously strives to ensure that the incarcerated population receives the best level of care possible.”
