Snohomish County Jail inmate, age 27, dies after head injury.

Snohomish County Jail inmate, age 27, dies after head injury.
Some questions stand as to the handling, of the medical attention and treatment of kin.

Lindsey Lason was no longer being held when her cousin came into the jail visiting area to inquire of Lindsey’s well being. That was all Jail representatives had to offer when asked about Lindsey. After not hearing from Lindsey after a few days, her cousin came into the Snohomish County Jail to inquire. Instead of being met by a grief counselor, or a superior jail official, she was greeted with threats of her own arrest and detention.

The Herald had announced the investigation into the death of a 27 year old female. The name was with held, most likely pending the contact of the next of kin. However the Snohomish county jail had no problems de-humanizing the person by announcing that the inmate was being held for prostitution and possession of a controlled substance.  It was not until three days later that jail officials had released Lindsey’s name, her charges, and that the cause of death was still being investigated.

Prior to the release of her name the story among the people that knew Lindsey seemed  full of unknowns, and pointed to sheer neglect on the county’s part. The story claims that she had fell out of bed while sleeping on the top bunk. Lindsey had suffered a head injury. I am also being told that she had a history of seizures. The initial story claimed no knowledge of her receiving medical attention. The cell mate of Lindsey had claimed that Lindsey complained of serious head pain, but was told to sleep it off. Over the years of raising four children, riding motorbikes, horses and just plain being a boy, even I know that anyone suffering a head injury is at risk of a concussion. I even know that a person suffering a head injury should be observed and kept awake for a minimum of two hours. Symptoms such as nausea and vomiting are serious signs of a life threatening concussion that require an immediate trip to the emergency room. Regardless of request for medical attention the woman was found dead as she had died an un-timely death before morning.

(New Details)After a week the Herald still reported that Lindsey’s death was under investigation and now the story includes a trip to the jail’s medical wing. Lindsey was moved to the triage floor of the facility.

This is where I become opinionated.

The behavior of the Snohomish County jail seems guilty.
Just as a shoplifter justifies stealing from a big store, the county had justified the inmates death by pointing out the charges.

 Just as a criminal reserves the right to remain silent, so too did the County jail reserve their right to minimize any and all details.

 Just as a criminal threatens to bully a store employee when asked about the items they stole; Snohomish County offered Lindsey’s cousin a criminal charge and a trip to jail herself, instead of asking her to wait while they retrieved a superior officer, or even a grief counselor to ease the pain.


There is no doubt in my mind Snohomish county is guilty of neglect at the very least. I am fully aware that jail is jail, and it does not require that a person’s stay is pleasant. I also know that no matter how many times a woman rents herself ,or uses a controlled substance, it does not constitute the death penalty. Lindsey was given a punishment that fit within guidelines set forth by the people of Washington State. The mind set that allows us to de-humanize a prostitute, or drug addict has allowed the employees of Snohomish County to deny a person. A person incarcerated or not, deserves the right to live and the right to die with dignity. The crimes that Lindsey had been charged with are the type of which a person can right. Lindsey could have served her time and evolved to be a person of righteousness. We will never know. If the investigation does show a fault in the actions of the jail, it would also be safe to say that Lindsey had suffered a cruel and unusual punishment. Her nine year old son will never see any change in his mother. Never know if her prayers would be answered. No longer can we call it a correctional facility if in fact they are no longer correcting, but instead erasing.  Maybe the logo should now say Snohomish County Erasing instead of Snohomish County Corrections.

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