Family Sues Georgia Department of Corrections for Negligence After Inmate Dies from Alleged Heat Exposure

Atlanta, GA — A Georgia family has filed a lawsuit against the state’s Department of Corrections, alleging negligence in the death of 27-year-old Juan Carlos Ramirez Bibiano, who reportedly died from complications related to heat exposure while incarcerated at Telfair State Prison on July 20, 2023. Ramirez’s death has sparked widespread concern about the conditions inside some of Georgia’s correctional facilities.

According to legal representatives, on the day of his death, prison officials had been forewarned about severe heat warnings. Despite advisories issued by Warden Andrew McFarlane urging measures such as limited outdoor time, sufficient hydration, and frequent ice distributions, Ramirez was reportedly left outdoors in high temperatures reaching a heat index of 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

Details provided in the court filing at Telfair Superior Court suggest Ramirez, who had consulted a mental health provider earlier that morning, was placed in what are described as outdoor “recreation cages” shortly after his appointment. It was approximately five hours later when he finally received medical attention, after being found in a critical condition with no clothing.

Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, and Ramirez was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Immediate reports stated he succumbed to a heart attack, believed to be precipitated by the extreme heat.

The family’s attorney, Wingo Smith, indicated that there remains a significant lack of transparency from correctional authorities concerning the specifics of Ramirez’s treatment and conditions on the day of his death. “The absence of clear answers and adequate records from the Department of Corrections only compounds the tragedy,” Smith stated, emphasizing the family’s pursuit for clarity during the discovery phase of the lawsuit.

In response to queries regarding the incident, representatives for the Georgia Department of Corrections, Lori Benoit and Joan Heath, disclosed that the department generally does not comment on ongoing litigation and confirmed that the incident remains under investigation. They also noted that the final results of an autopsy are still pending.

The lawsuit raises critical questions about the availability and effectiveness of prison facilities’ adaptation to extreme weather conditions, especially given that only a quarter of Georgia’s 34 state prisons are fully equipped with air conditioning, a status largely unchanged since 2022.

During a press conference, Ramirez’s mother, Norma Bibiano, tearfully remembered her son as a “caring, friendly, and intelligent” person. Through her attorney and translator, Surinder K. Chadha Jimenez, Bibiano expressed her profound grief and frustration. “A piece of my heart is gone,” she said, adding that her hope of her son’s safe return was irrevocably shattered.

The family’s legal team has pointed to a range of potential legal theories from negligence to wrongful death. Lead attorney Jeff Filipovits remarked that the case hinges, in particular, on demonstrating negligence under the Georgia State Torts Claim Act, despite the official stance on Ramirez’s cause of death being natural causes.

As the legal proceedings advance, the incident underscores ongoing concerns about the safety and humaneness of prison conditions, not only in Georgia but nationally, particularly amid increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves. The family’s pursuit of justice for Ramirez stands as a poignant reminder of the human cost of such systemic issues.