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By Natasha Pollard | WANF
ATLANTA, Ga. (WANF) – A man died in the Fulton County Jail after being eaten alive by insects and bed bugs, the family's attorney says.
According to police, LaShawn Thompson was arrested on June 12 in Atlanta on a charge of simple assault.
He was taken to the Fulton County Jail and placed in the psychiatric unit after officials determined he had mental health issues.
Family attorney Michael D. Harper released a statement saying Thompson had been in prison for three months when he was found dead in a filthy jail cell after being eaten alive by bed bugs and insects. The family also received open records showing that detention officers and medical staff at the prison noticed that Mr. Thompson's condition was deteriorating but did nothing to provide him with assistance or assistance.
“They literally watched his health deteriorate until he died,” the family said in a statement.
The report also states that one of the detention officers refused to perform CPR when his body was found because, as she put it, she was “freaking out.”
“Mr. Thompson's placement was not appropriate for a sick animal. He didn't deserve this. Someone needs to be held accountable for his death. The Fulton County Jail needs to be closed and replaced,” said Michael D. Harper, the Family lawyer.
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