A year later
Family releases balloons to raise awareness after 20-year-old diabetic dies in downtown jail cell
One of Morgan Angerbauer’s favorite statements was “so that’s what’s up” each time she got answers to her questions. A year after the 20-year-old died in a downtown jail, her family still has questions.
Angerbauer died of diabetic ketoacidosis in the early hours of July 1, 2016, while being detained on administrative violations of probation for Miller County, Ark.
Her parents, Jennifer and Andy Houser, along with at more than 23 of their family and friends, released dozens of balloons Sunday from the steps in front of the Bi-State Justice Building. There were a couple of multi-colored birthday balloons in the mix—to mark what would have been her 22nd birthday.
Like a similar balloon release in early January, the event was not only a tribute to Morgan Angerbauer, but also a continued push to improve care to medically-dependent incarcerated inmates.
A licensed vocational nurse who formerly worked in the Bi-State for LaSalle Corrections, a private jail management company, has been charged with misdemeanor negligent homicide in connection with Angerbauer’s death and Angerbauer’s family has filed a civil lawsuit.
Her parents still hope the circumstances surrounding their daughter’s death will bring about change in the incarceration system.
Law officers booked Angerbauer into jail the afternoon of June 28, 2016, on a warrant stemming from administrative violations of a probation she was serving on a nonviolent drug offense.
Angerbauer was serving a five-year term of probation for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Officials filed a petition to revoke her probation on the basis of failure to report, failure to pay court-ordered fines and failure to participate in special programs.
“We will be doing this at each anniversary, every year, for now on, to let people know about what’s needed in our jail system,” Jennifer Houser said.