Carlos Umana

In October 2010, 19-year-old Carlos Umana was incarcerated at the Salt Lake County Adult Detention Facility. He had previously been diagnosed as bipolar and schizophrenic. His mother offered his medications to a nurse at the facility, who refused to accept them and said they would be filled in-house, according to a lawsuit filed by Umana’s family.

While incarcerated, Umana became convinced that his food was being poisoned. He lost more than 100 pounds in four months and, on February 27, 2011, died of starvation and dehydration. He had weighed 180 pounds when he entered the jail; at the time of his death, he weighed just 77 pounds, having lost 58% of his body weight, according to an autopsy referenced in local news coverage. A toxicology report found no drugs or prescription medications in his system.

Staff of the jail and MHM Services, the private company contracted to deliver healthcare in the jail, “were aware that Carlos was starving due to his refusal to eat or take his medications, but they failed to intervene,” the lawsuit alleged.

Neither MHM Services nor Salt Lake County responded to the Lab’s requests for comment.

A full account of the lawsuit—including the estate’s allegations against MHM Services, Salt Lake County and others, as well as each party’s response—is available through PACER (Case 2:11-cv-00670, District of Utah).

• IN THE NEWS (Warning: Disturbing Contents)
  • Article One
  • Article Two
• LITIGATION (Warning: Disturbing Contents)
  • Complaint
  • Answer from Salt Lake County, UT