CHARLESTON – The father of an inmate blames the lack of medical care she received in jail led to her suicide.
Gregory Pyles, as administrator of the estate of Jacqueline V. Pyles, filed his complaint June 10 in Kanawha Circuit Court against PrimeCare Medical of West Virginia.
"PrimeCare totally botched the mental health screening of Jacqueline Pyles which resulted in her death,” attorney L. Dante diTrapano told The West Virginia Record. “This happens far too often in our regional jail system.
diTrapano
“This 24-year-old young lady deserved better.”
According to the complaint, Jacqueline Pyles was jailed at North Central Regional Jail in Doddridge County on October 13, 2021. She was processed through the standard intake screening system.
The complaint says that during the intake screen, none of Pyles’ signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety were recorded by PrimeCare or other jail staff. Also not recorded were her admissions of past suicidal ideation, a previous suicide attempt, admissions of chronic hallucinations and paranoia, a diagnosis of psychotic disorder, prescriptions of antipsychotics and antidepressants, documentation of treatment, her “worrisome” report in suicide and mental health screenings.
Pyles was not referred for urgent assessment by a mental health provider, according to the complaint.
“Instead, during Ms. Pyles’ October 2021 incarceration, PrimeCare staff relied solely on cursory intake screening to conclude she did not require close or careful observation, suicide prevention or even a mental health assessment,” the complaint states. “Despite the abundant evidence of severe mental illness clearly documented during her many prior incarcerations, (staff) relied solely on their standard intake assessment screens and solely on Ms. Pyles’ report.
“The reasonably prudent clinician and mental health staff member recognizes the high likelihood an inmate with severe mental illness will be reticent to provide honest or complete answers, either from distrust, shame, embarrassment, poor judgment or lack of insight, which mandates obtaining collateral information.”
The complaint says her October 14, 2021, suicide screen documented no history of mental health treatment and no history of previous suicide attempts. It says Pyles “denied any health issues other than back pain” despite abundant evidence in her records.
Also, it says Pyles admitted to having a miscarriage two months prior, which would constitute a significant recent loss, and that this was her sixth incarceration.
“The reasonably prudent health provider would have recognized all these factors necessitated an urgent referral to a mental health provider, yet this went unnoticed and unaddressed,” the complaint states. “It is a gross deviation from the standard of care for PrimeCare to rely solely on medical assistants to assess risk in an individual with known severe mental illness.”
Still, Pyles was cleared for general population despite medical records that showed mental illness, severe mood, anxiety and psychotic disorder.
During a sick call on October 15, 2021, by a family nurse practitioner, there was no exam performed, no mental health questions asked and no changes in her treatment plan were made.
“Her lack of attention and care to a patient with well-documented severe mental illness was egregious, inexplicable and indefensible,” the complaint states, adding the FNP “missed the opportunity to provide life-saving treatment.”
The complaint says there was a gross deviation from the standard of care involving Pyles.
“Pyles was allowed to suffer and die,” the complaint states. “The records maintained by PrimeCare Medical of West Virginia Inc. fall below the standard of care and cast doubt on the reliability of anything documented.”
Pyles was found in her cell with a torn bedsheet around her neck hanging from a cement table late on October 18, 2021. Her death certificate lists the cause of death as “hanging.”
Yet, her medical records show Pyles was given magnesium oxide, multivitamins, Gatorade, folic acid, Pepto-Bismol and thiamine through October 21, which was three days after she died.
PrimeCare is accused of medical negligence and negligent training and supervision.
Pyles’ father seeks compensatory damages for his daughter’s pain and suffering prior to her death, sorrow and emotional suffering of her beneficiaries as well as for loss of emotional support and society and companionship to her beneficiaries. He also seeks punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, attorney fees, court costs and other relief.
Pyles is being represented by diTrapano and Benjamin Adams of Calwell Luce diTrapano in Charleston and by William C. Forbes and W. Jesse Forbes of Forbes Law Offices in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 22-C-475