A Wilkinson County man claims his mother died because jail officers failed to provide her the medications she needed.
Shaun Brooks is suing Wilkinson County in the death of his mother, Cynthia Mixon. His attorney, Gilmore Maxwell, filed the wrongful death suit in U.S. District Court March 31.
Cynthia Mixon turned herself in to the Wilkinson County Jail January 27, 2015 to face warrants for her arrest.
She was charged after an undercover drug bust by the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force.
According to the lawsuit, Mixon had a seizure in the jail cell early on the morning of January 30. She was pronounced dead at Oconee Regional Medical Center hours later.
Mixon was being treated for several conditions, including high blood pressure, a back injury and seizures, according to the suit. It claims that jail officers never followed up to find what medications Mixon needed.
The lawsuit claims that a family friend brought all her medication and asked jail staff to make sure Mixon received it, but she didn't.
It also claims that a jail officer told Mixon and the three other women in her cell that he wasn't going to provide any prescription medication for them, because they needed to "dry out and detox."
It claims that her condition deteriorated during the more than 48 hours from her arrest to her death. Fellow inmates told guards that Mixon was very ill, but they failed to act, the lawsuit says.
The suit seeks compensation for her death, but does not name an amount. Gilmore Maxwell, Brooks' attorney, says they will seek $15 million.
By phone, Maxwell said, "Everyone deserves consideration and kindness, and Ms. Mixon received none of these."
The suit names Wilkinson County, Commission Chairman Mark Dupree, and Wilkinson Deputy "Buster" King.
Wilkinson County Attorney DuBose Porter declined to comment on the case.
