EAST ST. LOUIS — A mother claims the correctional and medical staff at the Danville Correctional Center allowed her son to die of dehydration after he ate only three meals in about 20 days.
Lisa Johnson-Barker, as administrator of the Estate of Markus Johnson, filed a complaint Aug. 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois against Wexford Health Sources, Inc., the Illinois Department of Corrections and others, alleging violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other claims.
The plaintiff alleges in her complaint that her 21-year old son Markus Johnson, who was a prisoner at the Danville Correctional Center, died on Sept. 6, 2019, as a result of the correctional and medical staff's failure to provide proper medical care. Specifically, the plaintiff alleges that Johnson had a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia, and required prescription medications.
Johnson was allegedly transferred to the Danville Correctional Center in December 2018. Barker claims that in July 2019, her son was taken off of his mental health medications without receiving "meaningful therapy" or close monitoring. The plaintiff further claims her son's mental health began to rapidly deteriorate, that he began refusing meals, suffered from psychosis and had only eaten three meals between Aug. 13 and Sept. 6. She alleges Johnson was allowed to deteriorate until he died of severe dehydration.
The plaintiff seeks monetary relief, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Sarah Grady, Arthur Lovey and Jon Lovey of Lovey & Lovey in Chicago.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois case number 3:21-CV-01034