BISMARCK, N.D. — An agreement has been finalized involving a $2 million settlement in a lawsuit concerning the death of a 19-year-old woman while she was detained at a North Dakota county jail in 2020.
Lacey Higdem, who passed away on June 4, 2020, from a drug overdose hours after being admitted to the Rolette County Jail, was the center of this lawsuit. It was filed by her mother, Jessica Allen, in 2022 against the county, two former correctional officers, and medical providers. On Thursday, Allen’s lawyers confirmed the county’s settlement offer had been accepted.
The circumstances leading to Higdem’s incarceration began when a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer found her in distress in the woods near Belcourt, responding to a report of a woman shouting for assistance, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint indicated that Higdem, in a delirious state, was taken to a hospital but was hastily discharged without receiving the necessary medical care. Following this, she was transferred to the jail, facing charges of disorderly conduct and preventing arrest.
Despite evident signs necessitating medical attention, the two correctional officers reportedly did not seek help. Subsequent observations during a routine cell check discovered Higdem unresponsive, leading to her being declared deceased around nine hours after her arrival at the detention center, as outlined in the lawsuit.
The legal complaint asserts that Higdem’s death was due to both the deliberate neglect of her medical needs while incarcerated and medical negligence at the hospital. She leaves behind a young child.
“No mother should have to bear the sorrow of her child suffering alone when her life could have been spared,” Allen expressed in a statement.
Higdem’s demise was attributed to methamphetamine toxicity, according to lead attorney Andy Noel.
Noel mentioned on Friday that the court had yet to finalize the judgment. The North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund is set to disburse the $2 million settlement.
There was a separate resolution concerning the hospital’s actions, which was resolved confidentially to the satisfaction of all parties involved, Noel added.
Attempts to contact the attorneys representing the county and the former correctional officers for comments were not successful.
The officers involved faced charges of failing to fulfill their duties as public servants, a minor offense. They entered Alford pleas, which allowed them to maintain innocence while conceding that evidence could lead to conviction. Their penalties included unsupervised probation and court fees. Eventually, in line with a court order, their pleas were withdrawn, cases dismissed, and files sealed upon completing probation.