Leanna Washington, a 36-year-old resident of LaGrange, Georgia, was discovered deceased in the James Morgan County Detention Facility in LaFayette, Alabama. Tragically, Washington had been incarcerated for only a few days following her arrest on drug-related charges on December 28, 2024.
After the death of Washington, Sheriff Jeff Nelson of Chambers County requested an independent investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation. As a result, the SBI determined that Washington’s death was a suicide by hanging.
Washington’s family is disputing the Bureau’s findings, claiming that the SBI has been uncooperative in providing additional information about the circumstances surrounding Washington’s death. They also point out other factors that raise doubts about the Bureau’s assertions.
The State Bureau of Investigation did not provide any comment in response to APR’s requests for information regarding the investigation into Leanna Washington’s death. When contacted, both the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama Department of Corrections redirected all inquiries about the matter to the SBI.
In an interview with Leonora Harkless, the mother of Washington, she strongly refuted the possibility of her daughter committing suicide. Harkless firmly stated, “She wouldn’t do this,” emphasizing that Washington was set to be released on bond the following Monday.
Harkless, on the other hand, expressed concern about the lack of close monitoring for her daughter, considering the jail’s knowledge of Washington’s history of depression. She wondered why more precautions weren’t taken to prevent any potential self-harm, given the awareness of her daughter’s mental health background.
Maurice Harkless further claimed that the SBI has been withholding crucial information regarding their investigation from the family.
In an email, Harkless expressed her frustration, stating, “They will not show us any papers, files, pictures, or anything.” She further revealed her intentions to file a wrongful death suit due to the SBI’s lack of transparency.
Dalton Arrington, the widower of Washington, shared his frustration with the Bureau’s lack of communication. He expressed, “The investigator for SBI informed me on Sunday that there is nothing to update me on and that there won’t be any news regarding it.”
According to Arrington, Washington had been suffering from chest pains during her time in custody and had been denied medical assistance. Arrington also mentioned that he had a conversation with a detention officer who informed him that Washington was being kept in a holding cell to “dry out,” possibly due to withdrawal symptoms from drug use.
Arrington told APR that the reason for the woman’s death was likely due to the fact that she had asked for help but was ignored because of her addiction. He strongly believes that her chest pain was directly related to her untimely demise.
Arrington expressed his frustration, stating that his wife has already been released and cremated, yet he still does not have any answers regarding her untimely death. He firmly believes that he deserves to know the truth about what happened to his wife. According to Arrington, no investigation was conducted and no explanations were provided, leaving him in a state of uncertainty and seeking justice.
According to Alabama Appleseed, a non-profit organization dedicated to criminal justice matters in the state, there have been instances of misreporting deaths of individuals in state custody in Alabama. They have found that deaths resulting from violent conditions in state prisons are often incorrectly labeled as “natural causes” or “accidents.” The organization also supports the concerns raised by Harkless and Arrington regarding the lack of transparency in these cases. They highlight that the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) provides minimal communication to grieving families and can take an extended period of time, ranging from weeks to months, to complete investigations into deaths that occur while in custody.