Oregon Man Sues Lane County for Failing to Prevent the Death of his Wife from a Drug Overdose

The husband of a woman who died of a fentanyl-methamphetamine overdose in the Lane County Jail has brought a $5 million lawsuit against the county.

Her Death was an Unnecessary Tragedy

Barbara Stillwell (59) was found close to death in her jail cell in 2023. Her death hours later was an unnecessary tragedy, according to her husband’s attorney.

The lawsuit states that the county failed to prevent drugs from infiltrating the jail and failed to provide adequate medical treatment for the deceased woman.

Named in the lawsuit are Lane County, Wellpath, its health service provider at the jail, a doctor and two nurses who allegedly cared for Stillwell, and several employees from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office who are alleged to have failed to improve systemic problems of which they were aware at the jail.

Stillwell was a Drug Addict but was Sober When Jailed

Stillwell was a drug addict but was sober when she entered Lane County Jail on 7 February 2023 on a probation violation relating to a 2021 conviction to delivering heroin, according to court records.

Stillwell told Lane County Jail officials that she was a regular fentanyl user. They said she displayed no signs of withdrawal and noted that she needed check-ins every hour.

However, Stillwell obtained fentanyl and meth inside the jail and fatally overdosed, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also accuses her jailers of only checking up on her on three occasions throughout her incarceration.

Jail staff found her unresponsive with a faint pulse at 3.24 a.m. the following day. They administered Narcan to reverse the overdose and CPR.

Stillwell was admitted to the Springfield Regional Hospital and later transferred to the McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, where she died after 11 p.m.