Jail Deaths Spark Calls for Oversight

Two Indigenous women, LaCrisha Cate and Amber Marchand, died in the Okanogan County jail within a three-month period in 2023, exposing critical failures in care. Marchand died by suicide after experiencing untreated opioid withdrawal symptoms for five days, according to a lawsuit. Cate was found unresponsive in a shower after hours of lying in vomit, with her death certificate listing polysubstance abuse and cardiac arrest as causes.

Records indicate that Okanogan County received state grants for providing FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder but instead implemented a de facto protocol using Gatorade and other non-specific medications. Medical experts state this method is not proven effective for withdrawal. These deaths are fueling demands for statewide standards and oversight of jails in Washington, a state with the fourth-highest rate of jail deaths nationally and one of twelve states lacking enforceable oversight.

Lawsuits filed by the families allege civil rights violations due to inadequate treatment and suicide prevention. At least nine people, including five Colville Tribal members, have died or been injured at the jail since 2011 due to similar failures. Past audits in 2017 and an external review after Marchand's death by Island County pointed to significant issues in inmate safety checks, medical screening, and policy implementation, many of which reportedly remained unaddressed.

Despite a 2019 state law requiring unexpected death reports within 120 days, Okanogan County has not published any such reports. The families' legal team argues that this lack of transparency and accountability, coupled with existing biases against Native Americans in the justice system, contributes to a dangerous environment within the jail, particularly for Indigenous individuals with opioid use disorder.