Heart Transplant Recipient Dies in Florida Jail, Family Initiates Private Autopsy

A heart transplant recipient died in Florida jail custody after going days without his life-saving medication. The family demands a private autopsy to identify who is culpably held responsible for his death.

Two years later after his operation, a heart transplant recipient died in jail after his family says he wasn’t given his daily medication. (Photo: Yahoo)

Heart Transplant Recipient Dies in Florida Jail

In October 2020, the heart transplant recipient Dexter Barry got a new heart which changed his life.

According to a GoFundMe page created by his daughter, Janelle King, he was taking daily medications to prevent the rejection of his new heart since the transplant.

Two years after his heart transplant, he died in Florida jail custody after his family says he wasn’t given his daily medication. According to a recent news report, the family of the heart transplant recipient alleges that jail officials withheld his medication because the price tag is very high.

On November 18, 2022, he was arrested due to a misdemeanor simple assault charge, The Tributary reported. He was arrested for allegedly making a verbal threat when they had a disagreement with his neighbor about Wi-Fi access.

A physical fight did not happen during the argument but the heart transplant recipient was still arrested.

According to PEOPLE, during his initial court appearance, the heart transplant recipient stressed to the jail officials and a judge the importance of taking his daily medications. This was recorded and body camera footage and court transcripts would prove it true.

However, his family thinks he was never given his medication, and died in Florida jail on Nov. 23, 2022.

The GoFundMe page states Barry’s death certificate mentions cardiac issues as his cause of death. However, his family believes there might be more to his death that hasn’t fully been revealed.

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Family of Heart Transplant Recipient Plans to Conduct Autopsy

The family of the heart transplant recipient is planning to conduct a private autopsy with the hopes of gaining more insight into said ‘heart failure’. Their ultimate goal is to see any and all parties who are culpably held responsible for their actions.

The heart transplant recipient’s family lawyer told The Tributary that they believe officials allowed Barry to miss his required doses because they didn’t want to pay for them.

He states in the court transcript that a 30-day supply of his transplant medication usually costs $2,400. A health expert said that law enforcement officials in Florida jail “had a constitutional duty to care for the heart transplant recipient, Barry.”

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is reportedly conducting an administrative review of the heart transplant recipient’s death and has not publicly commented on the situation.

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