The family of Jeffery Simmons, 45, has unanswered questions about what happened the night he died.
The broad strokes are clear enough. On May 11, he was arrested for drug possession and transported to the Hamilton County Jail, where he suffered a fatal “medical emergency,” according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
What is unclear is what the medical emergency was, how it was handled and, most importantly, whether it was preventable. His family believes it could have been, since they have a long history of deadly heart issues, and now they’re looking for answers.
“I want to know if my son could have been saved,” said Malcolm Simmons, Jeffery’s father. “If he had been treated fair, it would be a different story.”
Deputies first responded to the 1600 block of Hamlet Drive in East Brainerd around 2:50 a.m. on a report of a noise complaint, but wound up arresting Jeffery Simmons; his girlfriend, Regina Goins; and his nephew, Reese Simmons, for drug possession, according to an arrest report.