ST. LOUIS - Franklin County and four county officials were pinned in a wrongful death lawsuit after a man died in the Franklin County Jail.
The complaint was filed by the decedent's family, including his widow, Erica Bailey, and their three minor children, on April 23 in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Missouri.
The defendants include Franklin County, Commissioner Timothy Brinker, Commissioner David Hinson, Commissioner Todd Boland and Sheriff Steve Pelton.
The decedent Tyler Bailey, who suffered from several mental health disorders including bipolarity and manic-depressive disorder, was in the custody of the Franklin County Jail beginning on August 28, 2019, the suit says.
Bailey was on suicide watch and received inpatient treatment at Center Pointe Hospital multiple times for suicidal tendencies and suicide attempts, the suit says.
The decedent's family accuses the jail of ignoring signs of medical distress and failing to offer emergent mental health treatment.
Bailey hanged himself in his cell on November 25.
The Bailey family is represented by White, Briegel and Hiatt LLC of Union in their request for damages.