The family of Deanna Davis has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against King County, alleging that deputies and jail medical staff effectively stood by as she grew severely ill inside the county jail’s psychiatric housing unit and later died. The complaint says she was vomiting for about three days and that staff failed to monitor her as doctors had ordered.
According to KING 5, the suit, filed Feb. 24, 2026, states that Davis, who jail records indicate had a long history of mental-health issues and substance use, was booked into the King County Correctional Facility on March 17, 2023. The filing says medical staff took her vital signs only once during the three days before she was found unresponsive.
Her death first surfaced publicly in March 2023, when jail officials reported that a woman had been discovered unresponsive in a cell. That initial report triggered standard internal and external reviews, including a Seattle Police Department investigation, KIRO reported. The case arrived amid broader scrutiny of the downtown jail after multiple in-custody deaths in recent years.
Alleged Lapses In Care
The complaint alleges that facility doctors ordered vital checks three times per day, yet medical staff documented vitals only once. It also claims corrections officers conducted cell checks without confirming whether Davis was visible or responsive, according to KING 5. The family’s lawsuit contends Davis died of acute dehydration and an electrolyte imbalance that led to cardiac failure.
State Reviews And Oversight
A Washington Department of Health unexpected-fatality committee report posted Jan. 13, 2026, notes that King County jails undergo formal reviews after in-custody deaths. The public report outlines the committee’s findings, identifies its members and lists any recommendations. The document is part of the public record and is available online through the agency: Washington Department of Health.
Advocates And Long-Running Concerns
Civil-rights advocates have been sounding alarms about the jail for years. The ACLU of Washington filed suit in 2023 alleging chronic staffing shortages and failures to provide adequate medical and mental-health care, The Seattle Times reported. Attorneys for the Davis family point to that history as part of a pattern they say set the stage for her death.
Legal Implications
The complaint brings negligence and wrongful-death claims and situates its allegations against a backdrop of long-standing concerns about how jails handle medical and mental-health care. How King County responds to the lawsuit, and whether the case leads to a settlement or to wider policy changes, will be decided in King County Superior Court…