Jury awards $2.25 million to family of man who died at LCS' Brooks County Detention Center

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deral jury in Corpus Christi has awarded the widow of a man who died at LCS Corrections' Brooks County Detention Center $2.25 million, according to a story in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times last week (Federal jury awards $2.25 million to widow of inmate who died at Brooks County Detention Center, October 24): 

"The federal jury decided unanimously to award $2.25 million to the widow of 42-year-old Mario Garcia, who died of a seizure while on suicide watch at the center.

Garcia's family contends he was denied prescribed medications while at the facility, which led to his death 12 days after being brought there.

His condition began to quickly deteriorate after being jailed, though he was never sent to a physician or a hospital, according to the family's counsel. Garcia left behind a wife and a 10-year-old son.

Kathy Snapka, lead counsel for the Garcia family, called the death preventable and said facility staff disregarded his condition. Snapka said the family hopes the verdict in Garcia v. Niderhauser will send a message to other facilities that they will be held accountable for neglect."