WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. – Attorneys for the family of a 28-year-old woman who died inside Michigan’s only women’s prison say they are receiving alarming tips from other inmates about the days and hours leading up to her death, which came just two weeks before she was scheduled to be released on parole.
Timothy Holland, an attorney representing Khaira Howard’s family, said his firm, Fall Law, has been told Howard may have been sick for some time and that inmates reported hearing her call out for help for an extended period before her death.
“We are getting all sorts of information and tips from other inmates that she might have been sick for quite some time, and in fact, there might have been 45 minutes where she was calling out for help, and she just didn’t get any,” Holland said.
Holland said Howard was healthy and active before she was incarcerated at the Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Washtenaw County.
He said her health declined quickly in the month before her death.
“She had been complaining about her medical care. She had been complaining about how she was treated, and we also have heard that over, particularly in the last month that she was there, she became wheelchair bound,” Holland said.
Just days after Howard’s death, another inmate, 57-year-old Rebecca Fackler, also died at the facility.
Flood Law Firm, which said it is investigating both deaths, alleged that corrections staff refused to allow Fackler to go into the health care unit when she sought medical care.
The firm said Fackler was diabetic and had recently undergone surgery.
Flood Law claims Howard had been eligible for parole since March 5, but that MDOC failed to enroll her in programming required as a condition of her release, saying her parole date was rescheduled to the week of May 25.
The Michigan Department of Corrections confirmed in a statement that both deaths are under investigation, saying in both cases, onsite staff and EMS performed life-saving measures. MDOC released the following statement to Local 4:
“The department takes the safety and security of those under our supervision very seriously and has comprehensive processes and medical protocols for health emergencies. This includes processes for assessing patient health by qualified onsite staff, requesting outside emergency medical services if needed, and conducting life-saving measures.
All incarcerated individuals are provided a consistent community standard of care, which includes access to regular medical assessments, outside specialists, and emergency services. In partnership with qualified medical professionals, the department helps to manage all health care needs of patients, including those with long-term chronic conditions, some of which are terminal.
Thorough investigations are conducted for all unexpected deaths of incarcerated individuals, and all deaths are referred to the medical examiner, who will determine whether an autopsy is warranted, if one has not already been requested by the department. Claims or speculation on the death of any individual within MDOC custody before examinations and investigations are complete can be harmful to loved ones and victims.
The Michigan Department of Corrections recently worked with a third-party contractor to complete additional proactive and comprehensive environmental testing at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. Findings of these tests were consistent with expected results typically found in large settings where individuals live and work. Claims suggesting that the facility has dangerous, systemic, black, or toxic mold conditions are inaccurate." The
Michigan Department of Corrections
The deaths have renewed scrutiny of conditions at Huron Valley, which has faced years of complaints about medical care and other issues.
State lawmakers held an oversight hearing earlier this year to examine reported problems at the prison, including allegations of black mold, a shortage of wheelchairs, and illegal filming of strip searches.
State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, who has pushed for increased oversight of the prison’s operations, said the recent deaths underscore the need for accountability.
“Although these are people who are incarcerated, they are not forgotten; they are still human beings,” Pohutsky said. “We do not have a death penalty in the state of Michigan, so the fact that people are dying in these facilities is unconscionable.”
Pohutsky encouraged residents to contact elected officials.
“Reach out to your legislators, reach out to the governor, and let her know that you are outraged about what is happening in the facilities under her supervision,” Pohutsky said.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office said in a statement that the governor has directed MDOC to conduct an investigation with an independent medical examiner.
“The health and safety of those under MDOC’s supervision must always be their top priority. The governor has directed MDOC to conduct a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation. This process will include a careful assessment by an independent medical examiner. When this process is complete, we will release the results of the investigation. Families deserve to have the answers they need during the grieving process.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office