Reginald Wilson

On December 20, 2018, Reginald Wilson was picked up by an ambulance in Cobb County, GA, while experiencing delusions about angels and demons. He was taken to a local hospital and then sent to the Cobb County Detention Center.

At Wilson’s intake, a nurse employed by Wellstar, the private company contracted to deliver healthcare in the jail, noted that Wilson had bipolar, schizoaffective disorder. He was admitted to the jail infirmary, where he was “clearly psychotic” and “a danger to himself,” according to a lawsuit filed by his family. Day after day, due to his psychosis, he “did not consume a sufficient amount of water to sustain human life.” A psychologist who met with him noted that he was “out of control” and, instead of providing a diagnosis or treatment plan, wrote that he would follow up the next day “with hope that he is better able to control himself.” At one point, Wilson was apparently tased.

Wilson was never assessed by a psychiatrist, the lawsuit alleged. “The only hint of medical care that he received was one pill provided approximately a day before his death. This amounted to a complete denial of any medical care to Mr. Wilson.”

On December 29, Wilson died of dehydration, “lying in his own feces and urine.” During his incarceration, while Wilson failed to eat or drink, jail and medical staff “merely documented his downward spiral until his death,” the lawsuit alleged.

“Sheriff Craig Owens was not in office at the time of Mr. Reginald Wilson’s death,” a spokesperson for the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office told the Lab. “As such, we do not have any additional information to offer.”

Wellstar Health System did not respond to the Lab’s request for comment.

A full account of the lawsuit—including the estate’s allegations against Wellstar, the Cobb County sheriff and others, as well as each party’s response—is available through PeachCourt.

• IN THE NEWS (Warning: Disturbing Contents)
  • Article One
• LITIGATION (Warning: Disturbing Contents)
  • Complaint