PORTSMOUTH, Va. - According to the Medical Examiner in Norfolk, Henry Stewart died as a result of a perforated gastric ulcer due to chronic lymphocytic gastritis, H. pylori positive - a complicated ulcer that created a hole in his stomach in the Hampton Roads Regional Jail.
The M.E. labeled the manner of death as natural.
News 3 reported in August that Stewart's family received an emergency medical grievance form where he states that he had been begging for medical help before he died and in an extreme amount of pain.
Stewart's family attorney says they are moving forward with a lawsuit.
“That case file has been handled over to the Portsmouth Police, the Commonwealth Attorney will review and it’s in their ballpark,” said Interim Superintendent Bob McCabe who went on to say changes have been made to the way they provide medical treatment to inmates, “I had some concerns about the responsiveness and we’ve corrected that so I feel good we’ve put those safe guards in place and we are not going to have those delays anymore.”
McCabe explained other changes like moving 45 inmates out of the jail to other locations, expanding their internal affairs department from one person to four people and creating a place for citizens to complain on their website.
The jail was put into the limelight after the death of JaMychael Mitchell then the death of Stewart.
The Virginia Attorney General stepped in, concerned over the way the medical treatment was delivered to inmates.
Jail leaders retired and McCabe stepped in to make changes. “We are all fully aware hear that we are under a microscope,” said McCabe.
He said they are working to be as open with the public, media and family members of those who are locked up.
Right now there is a search for a permanent superintendent.
