Jacksonville, Fla. – A legal agreement has been finalized between Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, a corrections officer, and the grieving family of Esther Joy Truax, a woman who committed suicide while detained at the Duval County Pre-trial Detention Facility. The case, settled in December, emerged after multiple suicide attempts by Truax, highlighting ongoing concerns about inmate mental health management in correctional facilities.
The lawsuit accused the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) of neglect and indifference towards Truax’s mental health, despite her documented history of suicide attempts and psychiatric struggles. Truax, who was 35 at the time of her last arrest on a drug charge on December 1, 2021, had been vocal about her mental health issues, which had previously prompted several admissions to the same facility.
The claim against Sheriff Waters and Corrections Officer Alanna Woodard brings attention to what the lawsuit described as a pattern of inadequate care and supervision for inmates with significant mental health needs. Despite protocols mandating frequent checks for self-harm, Truax managed to use restraints in a suicide attempt and was found unresponsive in her cell. She succumbed to her injuries on December 10, 2021, after being hospitalized in critical condition.
The settlement, about which specific details remain undisclosed, was lodged in a federal court notice on December 30. The document indicated plans to establish guardianships for Truax’s five children.
This settlement comes under a newly adopted city ordinance which requires that all settlement agreements involving the sheriff’s office receive approval from either the sheriff or the city council president. This policy shift was initiated by Waters following a separate case where a $200,000 settlement was made without his knowledge, involving a 2019 traffic stop that resulted in a wrongful death.
The broader implications of such legislation include heightened scrutiny over how settlements are negotiated and potentially increased vulnerability for law enforcement officers facing litigation.
Truax’s tragic outcome casts light on wider systemic issues within Duval County’s jail system. According to information obtained from public records by The Tributary, there have been 15 jail suicides since 2011. Under the healthcare management of Armor Correctional Health Care, which began its tenure in 2018 and ended by Waters in 2023, there was a spate of suicides, despite known risks. Following these revelations, Sheriff Waters terminated Armor’s contract, opting instead for services from NaphCare in a bid to overhaul the health care provision within the facilities.
The case draws attention not just to the specifics of Truax’s death and the resulting legal proceedings, but also to broader issues of oversight and accountability in the handling of mental health issues within the prison system.
In a move toward greater transparency and care, these incidents prompt a reevaluation of mental health strategies and safety protocols in detention environments, reflecting ongoing discussions about the intersection of law enforcement and mental health care.
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