Adrienne Lemons, 35

Fort Worth, Texas
June 13, 2008

Agencies: Texas Department of Public Safety | Texas Commission on Jail Standards | Texas Jail Project | Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Texas | Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office Texas

Cause of death: Not Yet Known

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Last updated: almost 4 years ago

Overview

Ten days into serving her sentence at the Tarrant County Jail, a Fort Worth woman died.

Police say Adrienne Lemons was serving time for unpaid traffic tickets. The 35-year-old was rushed to John Peter Smith Hospital on June 13, where she later died. Lemons leaves behind a 3-year-old child.

Lemons’ family said she was not receiving the medication she needed for a serious medical condition.According to her family, Lemons had a staph infection under her left armpit. She was treating the infection with antibiotics.

“According to phone calls with family members, she claims they weren’t giving her the antibiotics,” said Shannon Woodrome, Lemons brother.

Lemons was serving time at low-risk facility until June 11, when her family says the lack of treatment caused her to be suicidal. “She claimed she rather cut her wrists than deal with the pain,” Woodrome said. “Rather than finding out why the pain was so bad, they threw her on a suicide watch.”

Lemons was then transferred to a high risk facility. By June 13, she was rushed by ambulance to JPS Hospital.

“The doctor said the infection just overwhelmed her and there was nothing he could do about it,” said Woodrome.

Lemons brother said he was told she was mopping floors the day she died.

Tarrant County Jail officials say they’re not in charge inmates’ medical care.

“It makes us feel bad,” said Tarrant County Sheriff Terry Grishom. “We’re getting blamed that a jailer didn’t dispense medication, but jailers never dispense medication whatsoever.”

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