Overview
- The complaint names Harris County, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and jail medical director Dr. Naomi Lockett as defendants.
- The lawsuit alleges the 39-year-old, who had schizophrenia, stopped eating, drinking and seeking care in custody, leading to untreated strep throat, sepsis and death.
- Records show he was found with altered mental status and shortness of breath on Jan. 29, 2025, transported to Ben Taub Hospital and died the next day.
- The county medical examiner ruled the death natural from septic complications associated with renal failure, with hypertensive cardiovascular disease and schizophrenia listed as contributory causes.
- It is the second recent federal case tied to 2025 jail deaths, and state inspectors have cited the jail for noncompliance including delays in timely medical care, while the sheriff’s office referred questions to the autopsy and declined further comment.