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March 30, 2012

Death of Homeless Woman in St. Louis Jail Draws Scrutiny 
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The death of a homeless woman in St. Louis, Missouri last year is now
drawing national scrutiny over revelations of how she died in police
custody. Twenty-nine-year-old Anna Brown had gone to the hospital
seeking emergency medical treatment for leg pain. When she refused to
leave the emergency ward, she was carried to jail by her arms and ankles
and left on the floor of her cell. Within 15 minutes she had stopped
moving and was soon after pronounced dead. The officers who arrested her
reportedly suspected she was at the hospital seeking drugs. But an
autopsy later revealed she had had blood clots in her legs and lungs,
and had no drugs in her system. The St. Louis police never announced
Brown's death. Her story only came to light six months later after an
anonymous caller tipped off the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper.
Brown, who was African-American, was the mother of two children. Her
family is reportedly considering bringing a wrongful death suit against
the hospital and police.



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