Seattle, WA – The family of a Cowlitz County Jail inmate who committed suicide at the facility in February has sued the county for civil rights violations, after noting three other inmate deaths in the past year. The family will later sue for negligence.
The lawsuit lists four inmates who died during the span of nine months. The first, 28-year-old Jenny Lynn Borelis, died last May within four days at the facility, “after repeated calls and requests for medical attention were ignored by jail staff.”
The lawsuit continues to state that 29-year-old Stephanie Jo Deal also died, followed by 22-year-old Daniel Bush, who died on Jan. 20th. According to the document, Bush was found dead in his cell while serving a 30-day sentence.
Kele Kuanoni, the father of the fourth inmate, filed the suit Thursday in U.S. District Court.
Kuanoni’s 31-year-old son, Cameron, died Feb. 3rd. According to the court filing, he was “experiencing severe medical and psychiatric problems and asked to be taken to the hospital.”
Kuanoni said in the lawsuit that jail staff knew his son vomited profusely, and “at one point was stripped naked and left to vomit on himself.”
On Feb. 3rd, Cameron Kuanoni committed suicide. The document alleges “no care or treatment was provided, despite Mr. Kuanoni’s specific request to be transported to the hospital.”
In addition to Cowlitz County, Corrections Director Marin Fox Hight is also named as a defendant. KIRO 7 contacted Hight for comment but has not heard back yet.
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