BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. – The mother of a woman who died in the Bradford County Jail says more should’ve been done to help her daughter.
Alaina Lily, 32, was found on Friday, February 24, unresponsive from a suicide attempt. She later died.
“Alaina was such a sweet girl,” Alaina’s mother Loretta Dyal said. “The past couple of years she was going through it, you know, mentally, and I don’t know what caused her the mental break.”
Dyal says her daughter was Baker Acted multiple times and the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office knew or should’ve known about Lily’s condition.
“She was Baker Acted one week before her arrest,” Dyal said. “I mean, if they was to do their homework a little bit and being in emergency management, I would think somebody here would know.”
Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith said personnel immediately began lifesaving measures and called for fire rescue after Lily was found. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Then Sunday she was taken off life support and died.
“I’m devastated,” Dyal said. “I’m kind of running on anger right now, to be honest with you. I’m just mad about the way, I’m kind of appalled, by the way they do things.”
She feels the jail should’ve done more to help.
News4JAX asked the major in charge of corrections two questions - how often are inmates checked on and was there any notification or indication that an inmate needed help whether it be from someone on the outside or the inmate themselves?
The major said inmates on suicide watch are checked every 15 minutes – and the cell is under constant observation. News4JAX was told Lily was under disciplinary confinement – which means she was checked on every hour. The major said there were no signs or indications that Lily was threating suicide.
“I think they need to take more time to, you know, assess a situation,” Dyal said. “They can say they didn’t know she was suicidal, or they won’t want to, but I’m telling you, they did.”
The major in charge said there are multiple ways to indicate a person may need help, whether it’s from someone on the outside, the mental health group that comes in to speak with inmates, or the inmates themselves.
Dyal said that’s not enough for her - and she wants to see changes. “I don’t want her to die for nothing. You know, I don’t want this to happen to nobody else.”
Arrest reports say Lilly was arrested in December for selling drugs.
Her mother is considering legal action – and could be filling a wrongful death lawsuit.
The Bradford County Sheriff’s office says they are waiting on the FDLE’s report and will review everything and make improvements if needed.