24 Mar $3,500,000 Settlement Reached with Weld County and Turn Key Related to the Death of Amy Cross at Weld County Jail
Amy Cross died a harrowing death after many hours of well known suffering from methamphetamine toxicity at the Weld County Jail in September 2021. Ms. Cross was showing obvious signs of a medical emergency for more than seven hours, including foaming at the mouth and her fingers turning blue, but she was not hospitalized or treated. Deputies in the jail repeatedly advocated for Ms. Cross to be treated but she was not given any meaningful treatment. The lawsuit alleged that Turn Key medical care decided in advance not to send Ms. Cross to the hospital.
Far too many people have laid down on the floors of jail cells knowing they will die without emergency medical care but are trapped because no one will help them get to the hospital. Jails and prisons frequently ignore obvious medical crises and refuse to treat patients who they believe cause their own condition by addiction. Amy Cross was entitled under the Constitution to medical care, regardless of any struggles with drug use. Inmates in jails and prisons can’t be left to die on the floor without consequences.
The settlement was reached after extensive litigation, factual discovery and Court rulings in favor of the Estate of Amy Cross for her deliberate indifference claims. HHEG continues to bring and pursue claims on behalf of families hoping public light will bring necessary and lifesaving critical changes in the way we treat those we incarcerate — changes that will be far too late for those we represent and their families.
You can read more information about this case in these Westword, Colorado Sun and Fox 31 articles. The Marshall Project recently took an in depth look at private medical provider Turn Key. ”
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (3/24/2025). Photo by Grant Durr on Unsplash