What's Going On At Macomb County Jail? Mother Dies Serving 30 Day Sentence For Falling Behind On Child Support

MACOMB COUNTY, MI — 37-year-old Jennifer Meyers was sentenced to 30 days in Macomb County Jail for falling behind on child support. It tragically turned into a death sentence, as the mother died behind bars just 12 days later.

Meyers' death behind bars happened in 2013. But a new investigation by Local 4 Defenders is casting fresh light on the story, with inmates claiming the prison ignored Meyers' constant pleas for help. Meyers reportedly died from a virus which progressively worsened during her incarceration and according to inmates, Meyers went from sweating to being too stick to get off of her cot in just days. The inmates further allege that Meyers' explicit requests for medical help were ignored and she was never taken to the hospital and instead left to die.

And this isn't the first case of a inmate dying under troubling circumstances at Macomb County Jail. 32-year-old David Stojcevski of Roseville was 16 days into a 30-day sentence for failure to pay $772 in fines associated with a traffic ticket when he was rushed to Mount Clemens Hospital with respiratory issues and died in June 2014. Autopsy results found that Stojcevski died from acute withdrawal and he reportedly lost 50 pounds while in custody over a two week period. His family filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Stojcevski was denied prescribed doses of methadone, Xanax, Klonopin and oxycodone. In September, the Department of Justice declined to pursue a criminal investigation, citing a lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, the legal fight for Meyers' family is just beginning and they have filed a federal lawsuit. Patch will keep you posted on any developments.

Photo by Tim (Timothy) Pearce via Flickr Commons