A third inmate in less than a month has died at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Washtenaw County, the Michigan Department of Corrections confirmed.
Ashley Hoath, 36, died Saturday morning at Trinity Health Hospital, hours after staff transferred her out of the prison’s medical unit, MDOC spokesperson Jenni Riehle said.
A corrections officer spotted Hoath showing signs of illness early Saturday morning and brought her to the medical unit, where staff later arranged her transport to the hospital, Riehle said. Hoath was responsive upon arrival at the hospital. She died several hours later. Her death was unexpected and remains under investigation.
Hoath is the prison’s third death in less than a month, a trend that has had 30 lawmakers calling for MDOC Director Heidi Washington’s resignation.
Khaira Howard, 28, died May 14 in a medical observation cell at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. Rebecca Fackler, 57, died May 17. Both women were allegedly denied medical care, according to two attorneys handling civil cases on behalf of their loved ones.
Two male inmates also died within the past month — one was fatally stabbed in his cell, and another fell to his death.
“To the loved ones and friends who have to bear this incredibly difficult news, as well as those who are currently residing or have family members housed at WHV, I want you to know that we are working aggressively to investigate the circumstances that led up to Ms. Hoath being sent to the hospital,” Washington said in a statement. “We ask the public, out of respect for the family, to refrain from speculation without the facts, while investigations are conducted. I can promise you that the community will have answers to what caused this death, and the ones that have preceded it.”
The prison has faced mounting scrutiny over its conditions. A state House oversight committee heard testimony in February from inmates, advocates, and former staff about conditions inside the facility, including mold and inadequate medical care — complaints that have resurfaced following the two women’s deaths in May.
Washington and other healthcare leadership have visited Women’s Huron Valley regularly since those deaths, Riehle said. Officials will conduct a mortality review, an independent autopsy, and an administrative investigation that includes a review of procedural compliance, she said.
State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, posted on Facebook Saturday that a third death at the prison should “shock the conscience of every Michigander.”
“The conditions of confinement, inadequate access to medical care, and reported retaliation against those women brave enough to speak out are intolerable,” Pohutsky wrote. “The State’s response has been woefully inadequate. Legislative oversight alone is not enough. Michigan’s correctional facilities are in a crisis that demands concerted action by the Department and the attention of our Governor.”
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, called the deaths “more than deeply troubling; it is repugnant and reprehensible.”
“My thoughts are with the individual’s family and loved ones. But we need more than thoughts — we need action and accountability,” Dingell wrote on Facebook. “Families and the public deserve answers. The women at Huron Valley deserve safety and dignity. These repeated incidents raise serious questions that cannot go unanswered. That is why I am sending a formal inquiry to the state seeking immediate answers, action, and transparency. The Michigan Department of Corrections must immediately provide a transparent accounting of what happened, where they failed, and what steps are being taken to prevent more deaths.”
State Rep. Reggie Miller, D-Van Buren Township, said the deaths demand answers and cannot be dismissed as routine.
“When multiple serious incidents occur in a short period of time, it raises important questions that deserve clear and transparent responses,” Miller said in a Facebook post. “Transparency and accountability matter, especially when lives are at stake.”