- May 20, 2024
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A Bunnell man hanged himself from a bed sheet in his cell at the Flagler County jail on Sept. 16 and died five days later at AdventHealth Palm Coast, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
Sean Barry, 33, was being held at the inmate facility on an emergency Marchman Act hold for admission to an addiction treatment program and was not in jail for a crime, according to the FCSO. FlaglerLive first reported the story. The FCSO will investigate "to confirm that all procedures were properly followed" at the jail, according to a statement from the FCSO.
An FCSO report on the hanging states that at 3:14 p.m. on Sept. 16, Barry, who had complained of back pain, told a Flagler County Sheriff's Office deputy that he was "in a lot of pain and that he could not get comfortable." The deputy informed medical staff, and the deputy and a nurse returned to Barry's cell 19 minutes later to find him hanging from a sheet tied to the top bunk bed.
After the deputy freed Barry from the sheet and lowered him to the ground, he checked for a pulse but "detected no vital signs." The deputy and the nurse began giving Barry chest compressions as they waited for emergency medical services to arrive, the report said.
FCSO senior Public Affairs Officer Ava Hanner confirmed that Barry died at the hospital on Sept. 21.
The Marchman Act allows for law enforcement to, with permission, take custody of a person who is struggling with addiction, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families. Barry was arrested in 2022 for several drug-related charges.
“The loss of life is very tragic," FCSO Court And Detention Services Division Chief Daniel Engert said in a statement submitted to the Palm Coast Observer. "In this incident, Mr. Barry’s decision to harm himself is truly heartbreaking. The jail’s medical and detention staff as well as Flager County EMS were able to give him a fighting chance before he left the facility. An investigation will be completed to confirm that all procedures were properly followed."
Engert added that the jail offers programs to help people with substance use addiction. The jail staff "continues to utilize best practices," and the jail is accredited through the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission, he added.
