PHILADELPHIA — A federal lawsuit has been filed by the family of a diabetic inmate who died due to inadequate medical care at a Philadelphia jail. The complaint highlights the failure of the facility to provide essential treatment, including insulin, during the inmate’s final days.
Louis Jung Jr., aged 50, was awaiting trial at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility when he passed away on November 6, 2023. He succumbed to ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition associated with diabetes that arises when the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones.
According to the allegations made in the lawsuit, prison authorities neglected to administer insulin to Jung, who had Type 1 diabetes, for the last six days of his life. Additionally, officials are accused of not conducting necessary glucose monitoring, failing to request emergency medical assistance, neglecting to transfer Jung to a hospital, and not placing him in the infirmary for treatment.
The family has named the City of Philadelphia and YesCare, the healthcare provider for the prison system, as defendants in this case. Both entities have opted not to comment on the ongoing legal matter. The complaint also includes medical personnel at the facility and unnamed corrections staff as part of the lawsuit.
James Jung, one of Louis Jung’s sons, expressed his anguish over the treatment his father received, stating, “My father had diabetes and simply needed insulin. I cannot wrap my head around how inhumanely they treated him. How they allowed him to lie there and suffer and die.” His comments were included in a statement issued by the Abolitionist Law Center, which is representing the Jung family in this case.
The Abolitionist Law Center pointed out that this is not an isolated event, as at least two other inmates have reportedly died of ketoacidosis while in the custody of the Department of Prisons since 2014. This raises serious concerns about the medical care provided to inmates and the responsibility of correctional facilities to ensure their health and safety.