Death of Ralkina Jones in Ohio Ruled an Accident

In July, 37-Year-Old Ralkina Jones was found dead at the Cleveland Heights City Jail. Last week a medical examiner ruled her death accidental and related to her medical conditions, The Guardian reports.

Cuyahoga County medical examiner, Thomas Gilson, reports that Jones suffered from a heart condition that causes changes in heart rate when a person stands up, obesity treated with a stimulant prescribed as appetite suppressant, and obstructive sleep apnea treated with prescribed sedatives.
Jones told police about her health issues included fainting when standing up, seizures, anxiety, depression and a brain injury as a result of being assaulted by her ex-husband. Jones also told officers that other officers who she had encountered earlier had dismissed her words and yelled at her.

“I’m not asking for an exception to any rules, but I will tell you this: I don’t want to die in your cell," Jones says in the video released by the Cleveland Heights Police Department.

A review of the jail’s protocols is pending by the Ohio department of rehabilitation and correction.

Photo: Jones family