Jail guards disciplined after inmate death

Officers failed to check on suicidal prisoner for hours.

The Lucas County Sheriff’s Office has disciplined four employees who failed to properly check on an inmate in May who was dead for several hours inside his cell.

Internal affairs reviewed the May 14 death of Alfred Estis, 34, and sustained internal charges against two sergeants and two corrections officers. Corrections officer Adia Washington received the stiffest punishment, a 65-day unpaid suspension, according to records released today.

Jail staff at 6:08 p.m. found Estis dead in his cell. Estis was considered potentially suicidal, aggressive, and on medical watch, jail records show.

Surveillance footage found ashington relieved another corrections officer at 7:46 a.m. She did not look into Estis’ cell or physically check the window as required, according to internal affairs.

Throughout her eighthour shift, Washington did not look into the cell except to serve lunch and try to provide medication, internal affairs determined.

“Washington states she felt that Estis was probably sleeping when he did not respond, and further because of his aggressiveness, she did not want to wake him,” according to the investigative report.

Washington falsely filed reports claiming she conducted her rounds, the review found.

Sgts. Nancy Kowalski and Jim Coleman also each received a two-day suspension in the case.

The two sergeants did not enter the cells or fully check in the windows during their security rounds. Corrections officer Erika Molitoris, too, received a written warning for not entering the cell during her initial round and checking the windows, according to the investigation.

In a separate case, Deputy Caleb Mylek was suspended for 65 days without pay after internal affairs determined he repeatedly failed to complete security rounds in April. He also filed a false report, claiming he did so.