Wells County, IN

In May 2003, Ryan Heyerly was sentenced to serve two years for a Class D felony at the Wells County Jail. In the middle of June 2003, Heyerly was suffering from chest pains, fever, sweating, discoloration and swollen glands. He told confinement officers he was feeling ill and submitted a request to see a nurse. He was taken to see the public health nurse a few days later with a heart rate of 124 beats per minute and a temperature of nearly 103 degrees. The nurse gave him medicine for the fever. Heyerly still had shortness of breath and was vomiting up blood, but received no further treatment. On June 22, 2003, the 25-year-old died from an infection in the cover around his heart caused by streptococcus bacteria. His parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county and a sheriff in the US District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Neither Sheriff Barry Story nor any other Wells County official admitted to or denied liability, but have agreed to a $125,000 wrongful death settlement. (Dec-09-06) [JOURNAL GAZETTE: INMATE DEATH]

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