Monroe County has reached a $360,000 settlement with the family of a woman who died in the Monroe County Jail.
The settlement, which still requires approval from the Legislature, ends nearly five years of litigation and mediation relating to the suicide of Sitarah Daniels while in custody of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. The complaint had alleged Daniels’ death was preventable if the jail had followed proper protocol and kept her under suicide watch.
Daniels was admitted to the Monroe County Jail in August 2018 as an unarraigned inmate, according to a complaint filed by Daniels’ mother, Juanita James. Daniels, 32, had a history of mental health conditions, including depression, substance abuse, and schizoaffective disorder. During a 2015 jail stay, Daniels had tried to hang herself with her cell bed sheet.
Daniels was placed under suicide watch in 2018. The complaint notes she had difficulty walking and communicating effectively. Yet despite little change in her mental state, she was taken off constant supervision less than a week after being admitted.
Daniels had a court appearance on Sept. 4, after which she was returned to her cell. The complaint alleges that jail deputies failed to complete a full patrol that afternoon, even after an alarm was sounded indicating the patrol was incomplete. Daniels was caught on jail video tying a blanket to the cell door, and then hanging herself.
Deputies didn’t check on her until about 25 minutes later, finding her unresponsive. While she regained a pulse after receiving CPR, she died the next day at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Sheriff Todd Baxter later announced the involved deputies had been disciplined, including one demotion.
“Sitarah Daniels is someone’s daughter, friend, loved one. I extend my sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of Ms. Daniels, especially Sitarah’s mother,” Baxter said, in a 2018 statement. “As the Sheriff of Monroe County, I am saddened anytime anyone dies while in the care and custody of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. No incident of this nature is taken lightly.”
The state Commission of Correction also opened an investigation into Daniels’ death. The results of that investigation were not immediately available.
James sued the county in 2019, alleging the jail had failed to adequately review Daniels’ mental health plan, negligently isolated her, missed watch tours, and failed to give her an anti-suicide blanket.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office was later removed from the suit, with the court determining it is not a separate legal entity from Monroe County. A medical malpractice claim against PrimeCare, the contractor meant to provide mental health services in the jail, was also dismissed in a November 2022 court order.
The settlement, approved through mediation on Aug. 6 and introduced to the legislature by County Executive Adam Bello, passed the Ways and Means committee unanimously this week. It will go to vote before the full Monroe County Legislature on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
