By Kara Berg
The Detroit News
YPSILANTI, Mich. — A third inmate in less than a month has died at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Washtenaw County, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Ashley Hoath, 36, died Saturday morning at Trinity Health Hospital several hours after being transferred out of the prison’s medical unit, said MDOC spokesperson Jenni Riehle.
A corrections officer noticed Hoath was not feeling well early Saturday morning and took her to the medical unit and she was later taken to the hospital, Riehle said. She was responsive when she was taken to the hospital, Riehle said. Several hours later, Hoath died. Her death was unexpected and is under investigation.
Hoath is the prison’s third death in less than a month, a trend that has had 30 lawmakers calling for MDOC Director Heidi Washington’s resignation.
Khaira Howard, 28, died May 14 in a medical observation cell at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. Rebecca Fackler, 57, another prisoner, died May 17. Both reportedly died after they were denied medical care, said two attorneys handling civil cases for loved ones of the two women.
Two male inmates also died within the past month; one was fatally stabbed in his cell and another fell to his death.
“To the loved ones and friends who have to bear this incredibly difficult news, as well as those who are currently residing or have family members housed at WHV, I want you to know that we are working aggressively to investigate the circumstances that led up to Ms. Hoath being sent to the hospital,” Washington said in a statement. “We ask the public, out of respect for the family, to refrain from speculation without the facts, while investigations are conducted. I can promise you that the community will have answers to what caused this death, and the ones that have preceded it.”
The prison has recently been under fire over its conditions. A state House oversight committee heard testimony in February from prisoners, advocates and former staff testified about the conditions, including mold and a lack of medical care, similar to complaints that have risen since the two women’s deaths.
Washington and other healthcare leadership have been onsite regularly at Women’s Huron Valley since the other two deaths occurred in May, Riehle said. A mortality review, an independent autopsy and an an administrative investigation which includes a review of procedural compliance all will be done, she said.
State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, said on Facebook Saturday said a third death at the prison should “shock the conscience of every Michigander.”
“The conditions of confinement, inadequate access to medical care, and reported retaliation against those women brave enough to speak out are intolerable,” Pohutsky wrote. “The State’s response has been woefully inadequate. Legislative oversight alone is not enough. Michigan’s correctional facilities are in a crisis that demands concerted action by the Department and the attention of our Governor.”
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, said the deaths are “more than deeply troubling; it is repugnant and reprehensible.”
“My thoughts are with the individual’s family and loved ones. But we need more than thoughts—we need action and accountability,” Dingell wrote on Facebook. “Families and the public deserve answers. The women at Huron Valley deserve safety and dignity. These repeated incidents raise serious questions that cannot go unanswered. That is why I am sending a formal inquiry to the state seeking immediate answers, action, and transparency. The Michigan Department of Corrections must immediately provide a transparent accounting of what happened, where they failed, and what steps are being taken to prevent more deaths.”
State Rep. Reggie Miller, D-Van Buren Township, said these deaths demand answers and cannot be dismissed as routine.
“When multiple serious incidents occur in a short period of time, it raises important questions that deserve clear and transparent responses,” Miller said in a post on Facebook. “Transparency and accountability matter, especially when lives are at stake.”
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