An inmate of Duval County Jail, 37-year-old Michael Lavon Barfield, has died following what has been described by authorities as complications with pre-existing health conditions. Barfield’s death occurred after a two-week stay in a local hospital, following his arrest on September 4 on drug-related charges. As reported by First Coast News, Barfield was facing charges including armed trafficking of fentanyl before he was hospitalized.
Initially lodged in the pre-trial detention facility, Barfield complained to medical staff regarding his health issue, the details of which are currently not made public, leading to his hospitalization on September 7. Having been taken from the jail, News4JAX notes that Barfield remained in hospital care up until his death on September 21.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) has confirmed they are conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Barfield’s passing. This inquiry is being undertaken in collaboration with the local medical examiner’s office to determine what precisely precipitated the inmate’s death while under the supervision of correctional authorities. The exact nature of Barfield’s pre-existing health conditions has not been disclosed, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation…