Family wants answers after man ‘eaten alive’ by bed bugs in county jail, attorney says

ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) - A family attorney in Georgia says a man died at a county jail after being “eaten alive by insects and bed bugs.”

According to attorney Michael D. Harper, LaShawn Thompson was at the Fulton County Jail for three months before he was found dead in a jail cell.

“What Mr. Thompson was housed in was not fit for a diseased animal,” Harper said. “He did not deserve this.”

Thompson was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge in Atlanta in June 2022. He was taken to the Fulton County Jail and placed in the psychiatric wing after officials determined he had mental issues.

Thompson’s family said they obtained records that stated detention officers and medical staff noticed his health deteriorating but did nothing to administer aid to him or help him.

“They literally watched his health decline until he died,” the family said in a statement.

A detention officer reportedly refused to administer CPR because she “freaked out” when finding Thompson’s body found bitten by bugs and insects.

“Someone has to be held accountable for his death. The Fulton County Jail must be closed and replaced,” Harper said.

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond for comment regarding the situation.

Thompson’s family and Harper are scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday.

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