Harford County Detention Center Inmate Dies

mary November 28, 2011 at 07:18 pm

Please check your facts before putting lies out there. He had one failure to appear for violation of parole. He went to every court date he had and was turning hisself in on this. The only other crime he ever commited was breaking into neighbors house over four years ago.It was wrong but he did his time for it and paid restitution. He had been clean but just couldn't break the cycle of addiction. He knew what he was doing was wrong but the addiction overrules common sense. He knew he was on camera and still did this. I am not making excuses for him he commited a crime and was going to pay his dues. He should have been under medical care and not left to pass out and throw up and die. He called me on Wed. and told me he was dying and I told him to let them know so he could get medical attention. They saw him and locked him back up. Don't know what the checks entailed. You are entitled to you opinion and I strongly believe in our constitutional right to freedom of speech, but please make sure what you are saying is correct. I pray that you never have to go through anything like addiction with anyone you know. As fare as being a flight risk he could have left that day but was on his way to turn hisself in when he was arrested. No propensity for violence. Not a mean bone in his body. I know that people who knew him knew him and people like you who want to spread false information and be hatefule don't matter to our family.

Hazzard Native November 28, 2011 at 10:43 pm

This is an extremely relevant find, thank you.

Pigger November 29, 2011 at 12:15 am

THANK YOU! I responded to one of his alleged robberies. This was a life changing event for the victim. It took her about 45mins to stop shaking. She surely felt that the gun he showed her was real!
Can you imagine sending every inmate that is going through detox to the hospital? The detention centers would be empty.

FreeThinker November 29, 2011 at 01:27 am

As a Correctional Officer I don't understand how anyone can celebrate or be glad that this young man is dead. Despite public opinion, most officers deal with the guilt of those inmates that die in our custody and of those that die through violence or overdoses after release. The fact remains that certain lifestyles make death at a young age more likely. To think that all inmates that are detoxing should be taken to the hospital is absurd. The cost of having 25-50 inmates at a time detoxing in hospital beds guarded by two officers each 24/7/365 would use the entire operating budget. This particular individual was obviously found alive, which is amazing because at 11 pm lots of people are sleeping, many of the inmates sleep with every inch of their body covered by their blankets when we place them on extra supervision because of the lights. Think to yourself how similar a sleeping person, a dead person, and an unconscious person look under a blanket.

Stephen Haker November 29, 2011 at 06:25 am

I agree and my hat off to all

Annie November 29, 2011 at 03:40 pm

That's the thinking of a TRUE NON-MEDICAL person. Rest my case!

Hazzard Native November 29, 2011 at 03:49 pm

The detoxification of prisoners should be done case by case. Most people who are coming down from opiates do not need acute care hospitalization, however, if someone, such as Mr. Malpass, has already lost conciousness at least once during the event, the protocol should be an immediate trip to the ER. After stabilization, which may have included IV fluids and something to stop/slow the diarhhea and vomiting, he could have returned to HCDC, likely just a few hours at UCMC and back to the cell.

Pat November 29, 2011 at 07:28 pm

I am sure that there are many correctional officers who take these incidents to heart. It has to be a tough job. But this is not an isolated incident- lessons should be learned and more specific protocols should be put in place so that all personel can avoid repeats of these tragic occurances. For the sick inmates sake as well as the mental health of the corrections officers.
"The cost of having 25-50 inmates at a time detoxing in hospital beds guarded by two officers each 24/7/365 would use the entire operating budget " is an absurd scenario and therefore not a valid excuse for lack of due diligence in the face of individual circumstances

Steven November 30, 2011 at 01:55 am

@MARY M....dont know if u remeber me...its steven turner....i used to be over ur house ALL the time in my younger years :) (me and michael had gotten in trouble at edgewood prooving ground AWHILE ago)....michael will forever be remembered in my heart as the loving, caring kid that he was.....sumthing needs to be done about the drugs in this area before i have to friends left.....i cant help but feeling horrible for turning my back to him after i got clean....if theres anything at all i can do for u mary PLEASE contact me (email spazmaniac86@yahoo.com phone: 443-309-2590)

Old Nurse 2 November 30, 2011 at 02:52 am

"I don't believe anywhere in the Constitution is there a Code of Standard for prisoners or patients."
Lance, I'm talking about a medical standard of care, which is to be followed in all medical facilities, and in correctional facilities as well, when dealing with sick or injured inmates. since the person who called us at home, insisted he was a medical personel staff member - implying he was a nurse, that means a physician should ahve been over-seeing, and that they are required to follow the proper medical standard of care. Period.

Old Nurse 2 November 30, 2011 at 02:59 am

"THANK YOU! I responded to one of his alleged robberies. This was a life changing event for the victim. It took her about 45mins to stop shaking. She surely felt that the gun he showed her was real!
Can you imagine sending every inmate that is going through detox to the hospital? The detention centers would be empty." Pigger, you responded to a call? That indicates you're a policeman? And you're condoning this behavior? Then shame on you. While I certainly feel for the alleged victim, that fact is irrelevant when it comes to needed medical attention in a detention center. the two are completely separate. This person never received his constitutional right for a trial - something you, as a law enforcement employee, should know about. Why? Because he died while in detention, that's why.

Bob S November 30, 2011 at 05:35 pm

Fix this problem Jesse Bane !!!
My son was a heroin addict also and was locked up in The Harford County Detention Center for armed robbery. We called the detention center repeatedly to insure that he was going to be alright from detoxing, which they of course said yes. We later found out that he was just locked in a cell to detox on his own and they checked on him from time to time. This facility or staff is not equipped to handle this problem and in fact Harford County should be held liable for the inadequate medical treatment of these people. Yes they made poor choices in life but if they are put in to a government facity and should be cared for in an appropriate way, surely not left to die. The system in this county is broken for treating these kids who have lost there way and from the judges, states attorney to the correctional officers they just want to lock them up for there crimes instead of treating the addiction. I'm very sorry for the loss of Michael and hopeful that my son will get the treatment that he needs at the DOC but I dont think he will.

Karl Schuub November 30, 2011 at 05:57 pm

It's hard to conjure up sympathy for people that point guns at others for cash. I don't think a hospital is the place for somebody that has so little regard for the safety of others - I wouldn't want my sick friend or relative being unfortunate enough to end up in the room next door to one of these miscreants.

Steven November 30, 2011 at 11:59 pm

obviously u have never been addicted to anything to the extent of heroin....if u knew michael for who he was before he went down the path he did u would be more than happy to share a hospital room with him

MDBronco December 1, 2011 at 03:54 am

With all due respect to the family, if this young man would have over dosed on the the street would that still be the responsibility of the Sheriff Dept for not getting medical care in enough time. Maybe even after the alleged robberies.

Pat December 1, 2011 at 06:08 am

Apples and oranges...two entirely different scenarios. However, had a police officer come upon any person lying on the sidewalk, vomiting and in respiratory distress- YES. I would expect them to take he person to the ER ASAP- not just come back and check on him evey so often.

Sab January 4, 2012 at 02:10 am

My son was sent there today. He was on a methadone program. He went to court on a shoplifting charge where the item cost $2.19. Judge Hazlett gave him 90 days. My son ask time to detox from methadone at home instead of jail. She said no! After reading this article I am even more worried then before! To the family of the young man I am so sorry for your loss. Addiction is a horrible thing on a family.

Glena Ferguson January 4, 2012 at 03:04 am

Good kids can become addicts and addicts do whatever they can for their next high. It's wrong and I wish it wasn't so but it could be your child, your mother, father any of your loved ones that become addicted and desperate. It is an epidemic, if you don't live it, you can't understand it. Even those that live it can't really understand how this happens. There isn't an easy answer like, just stop or don't start or THEY are just low lifes. None of that is true in all cases. I can't imagine getting up every day sick and trying to figure out how to get enough money to get the drug I need to keep from being deathly sick. The choices come easy to some, not so easy to others, yet they do what the drug demands they do. It's not right and they should be prosecuted for crimes but they also should not die in jail. He had been there several days so this wasn't the acute detox phase and something happened to this young man. Maybe he had a flu? If he WASN'T a drug addict how would the comments read if he had a flu and they let him pass out from dehydration and vomit and die? A life has been lost and a family is heartbroken. My thoughts are with those who loved this young man and knew him at his best and know he is now at peace.

Glena Ferguson January 4, 2012 at 03:59 am

There are NOT plenty of treatment facilities for those who want to get clean. Please be assured of that. Just try to get into a reputable treatment facility with no insurance. Even if you have insurance, often there is a waiting period. An addict that wants to get clean needs to get help then, not weeks or months later when he/she may be in a different place in their addiction. I agree that drug abuse doesn't excuse ones criminal behaviour and they must pay for those acts but not with their life...

Glena Ferguson January 4, 2012 at 04:01 am

He was a human being who had fallen into drug addiction. He committed crimes for which he should pay. He should be given the very basic life support necessary for an illness. He might should have been in jail but last I checked, robbery doesn't merit a death sentence.

Glena Ferguson January 4, 2012 at 04:06 am

I think the State or County, if they chose to lock up criminals (and they do) must use judicious care and caution to prevent unnecessary death in their facility. This person wasn't laying in an ally, he was a ward of the County, they have some responsibility in this. It wasn't an overdose and I wonder if it was from detox that many days later.

Devin Icey Robinson January 20, 2012 at 06:47 pm

wow who the fucc do you think you are, you have no right to judge anyone! you are not God, you dont know anything about this boy or anyone else and their situations to sit on your ass at your computer and say such things about this boy whos MOTHER s also on this message board, show a little respect !! first off you keep saying things about him being a "good kid" this is about a boy who got lost in life got addicted to a terrible drug and died due to lack of care, HIS CRIMES DID NOT MERIT DEATH ASSHOLE, no one was hurt and he was doing such crimes to keep from the terrible feeling of withdraw...life is not perfect for alot of people and not everyone can deal with things such as your self apparently, get off your high horse and get real, allow me to pop your bubble and let you enter the world shyt happens and people get lost and maybe cant find their way without intervention just because YOU havent gone through something like this doesnt mean he was a bad person! people like you make me sick, your so closed minded and sheltered, just take your bad attitude somewhere else, im sure your the type that would have no problem picketing someones funeral, God does not like ugly and you are really hideous right now GROW UP

Devin Icey Robinson January 20, 2012 at 07:16 pm

my fiance is in there right now for one bag of marijuana, and one of our friends was going through withdraw from pain medication, he was vomiting everyday was not eating, and constintly passing out and having the top bunk he fell numerous times my fiance basically had to force the correctional officers by flipping out and was about to be put on lock up just to get them to understand the severity and to take him to the hospital because they are bunk mates and he was turning into a skeleton and getting worse by the day, the officers were saying hes fine and to stop making a scene but because he persisted everyday for 3 days they finally took him....come to find out he had to get rushed to sugery for a huge hole in his stomach, he could have died, no thanks to the officers he is ok and has been in the hospital for a week now, you people talking about tax dollars shut the hell up they are going to go somewhere else you dont want them to if they didnt go there!! GOD FORBID SOMEONE YOUR CLOSE TO GETS LOST IN LIFE AND GOES THROUGH SOMETHING SIMILAR ! you do gooders on your sheltered little high horses as i said before have no right to judge these people you do not know that may have not been as priviledged in life as you were! grow up and open your eyes to a world that is not perfect and realize people make stupid mistakes which EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES you are not perfect either just because u may not break the law doesnt make you any better we are all human get over yourselves!

Serafin Rivera January 31, 2012 at 06:33 am

Its sad that you think its ok for people who get hooked on mommy's pain pills and moves to heroine cause its cheaper, and shoot up with dirty puddle water on a cooking spoon to be addicts. and i'm supposed to feel compassion! wait till the junky is kicking in your front door with a illeagal gun to steal your stuff while you and the kids are home. it was his idea to stick that needle in his arm. the person you should be pissed with is the mom and dad who raised him. if they took an active part in his life instead showing him their disfuctional mess of a life and abuse for five seconds. or giving him cash instead of love, he may have had a chance at life. they're the same people who act all suprised when the police call looking for him saying all the while " not my son, no way!!! not him." knowing 20 mins earlier he took money out of your purse to get drugs. here is your paper tissue. sob if you want. be lucky its not 25 cents worth of copper or a rusty shank with the life choices he's made so far. and as for judging damn right! i work hard for the things my family and i enjoy why didn't he do the same thing. i pulled myself up by hard work, not sobbing in the corner like a little girl with a skinned knee cause life at home wasn't ideal. he wanted to be cool and is now paying the price. what they should give them all is life cause every crime they committ changes someone else's forever. the victims have no closure and these people only show guilt if it get's charges dropped.

Diane Heddinger February 3, 2012 at 09:43 pm

Totally Unreal
Well I had a nephew who was in Prison who was also a drug addict. He actually died in Prison because of an overdose of drugs, wonder how he got them? You would think if someone is there for drugs he would have detoxed not died. Or even be able to get them while being locked up.

skj July 10, 2012 at 02:30 pm

You are a very judgemental person - that is obvious. I'm sorry that you cannot feel empathy toward anyone - you are missing a very basic emotion that most humans have. Just remember that you will be judged in the same manner that you judge others. Your comments are very vicious considering some family lost somebody that they love. Shame on you!!!!!

Marcia Jones November 6, 2012 at 11:25 pm

thats a whole different situation

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