Atlanta, April 15: The family and lawyer of a man who died inside his cell in the Atlanta jail has alleged that he was 'eaten alive by insects and bed bugs'. The family is now demanding a criminal investigation into his death as well as the closure and replacement of the jail. A probe has been launched into the allegations by the family. 

According to a report in New York Post, 35-year-old Lashawn Thompson was determined to be suffering from a mental illness, thus he was detained for misdemeanour and put in the psychiatric wing of the Fulton County Jail. US Teacher Asks Students To Write Their Own Obituaries Ahead of Active Shooter Drill, Gets Fired Hours Later.

Three months after his arrest, Thompson was discovered unconscious in his jail cell on September 19. Despite efforts by medical officials, he could not be revived and was pronounced dead, according to a Fulton County Medical Examiner's report.

Prison records demonstrate that the staff was aware of Thompson's worsening physical condition, yet they did nothing to aid him, as reported by Harper and Thompson's family. Abortion Pill Ruling: US Supreme Court 'Temporarily' Restores Availability of Mifepristone.

According to Harper's comments to Daily Star UK, the jail warden discovered Thompson for first aid and "freaked out" because his body was infested with bedbugs.

Despite a "severe bed bug infestation" in his psychiatric unit cell, the medical examiner's report stated that Thompson's body showed no obvious evidence of trauma.

The reason of death was mentioned in the report as undetermined.

Bedbugs are tiny, oval, brown insects that feed on the blood of mammals, including humans, according to health experts. Bed bugs do not build nests like ants or bees, but instead live in hives or other communal settings and migrate extremely rapidly throughout rooms. They produce hundreds of tiny eggs throughout the course of lifespan.

According to experts, Bed bug bites are not usually deadly, but in some rare circumstances, prolonged exposure to a massive bed bug infestation can cause severe anaemia, which can be lethal if left untreated.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 15, 2023 08:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).