Justice for Ta’Neasha

To Whom It May Concern,

On July 16, 2021, Ta’Neasha Chappell died as a result of criminal conduct of several members of the Jackson County, Indiana Jail. For 20 hours, she reported vomiting blood to officers. She made requests for medical assistance and hospital transport shortly after 8 pm on July 15, 2021. Ta’Neasha made the same report and request again at 11 pm. And then again at 11:30 pm, 12:30 am, 1:30 am, 2 am, 3 am, 3:15 am, 5 am, 7 am, 8:45 am, 9:20 am and 9:55 am.
Ta’Neasha’s requests for help were repeatedly ignored, laughed at or denied every single time. And her condition continued to decline. She was extremely dehydrated. She filled a bucket with bloody vomit. Her speech was barely discernible. And she became incoherent. By 10:45 am, Ta’Neasha had collapsed on the floor of the common area, naked and covered in her own waste. Officers took several minutes to respond, only to stand over Ta’Neasha, belittle her, force her back to her cell and lock her down.
For four more hours, as Ta’Neasha’s condition deteriorated to a dire state. Meanwhile, officers accused her of faking and of acting like she was in kindergarten. One sergeant even told Ta’Neasha that she deserved to just lie on the ground “and suffer” because of her inability to dress herself. Ta’Neasha remained nonverbal, jaundiced and weakened to the point where she could not stand. Throughout this time, the jail nurse refused to see Ta’Neasha. Overall, more than 10 officers and a jail nurse all declined to get Ta’Neasha transported to the hospital, even as she reached a point where she had defecated herself, had filled buckets with bloody vomit, had become unable to stand or speak coherently, had fallen struck her head a on steel bunk, and had turned yellow.
When an ambulance came to the jail at 3:30 pm, officers advised EMS workers that Ta’Neasha condition was not an emergency. She died two hours later.
An autopsy of Ta’Neasha identified toxicity (poisoning) as the cause of death. Investigating officers did little to find the source of the poisoning. Even when they were given a drink bottle suspected of containing toxic substances, which investigators that noted to appear to be off-color, the investigators did not test it. When an inmate reported who poisoned Ta’Neasha and how it was done, little follow up was done.
In December of 2021, the local prosecutor denied to take action on the case. Unsurprisingly, this prosecutor is also personal friends with the sheriff and several officers. He spent the first five pages of his report demonizing Ta’Neasha and discussing her irrelevant background. To be clear, Ta’Neasha was booked on simple shoplifting charges, followed by a police chase in which Ta’Neasha drove off from an officer when he pulled a gun. A ridiculous bond of $50,000 was initially set for Ta’Neasha.
Ta’Neasha Chappell was one of only two Black women in the openly racist jail. She was surrounded by inmates who openly threatened her, called her racial slurs, placed nooses in her cell and who have since discussed poisoning her. Ta’Neasha was left to die by everyone who made contact with her in the jail.
Ta’Neasha was only 23 years old. She left behind her beautiful daughter and a grieving family.
The system has failed Ta’Neasha and her family. A message has been sent that it is ok for law enforcement to ignore inmates who are dying in front of them, so long as the department has a relationship with local investigators and prosecutors.
I am requesting that the FBI and Department of Justice open a formal investigation into criminal civil rights violations that caused Ta’Neasha Chappell to suffer and die. Audio calls and video footage online confirms the egregious and willful neglect of Ta’Neasha. Animals receive more concern and attention than that which was given to this woman.
Civil rights has been a stated priority of the FBI and DOJ for many years now. But actions speak louder than words. Please act on this. Failure to do so will result in the status quo for this jail and other jails.
Thank you for making this a top priority.

Submit a complaint: Click below to complete the Civil Rights Division Complaint Form. Send whatever you’d like. if you’d prefer to adopt and submit what the family has created, the form has included the language.

Mail or Fax your completed complaint form along with any supporting documentation to the following:

Civil Rights Task Force United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Indiana
10 West Market Street, Suite 2100
Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 226 – 5027 (fax)