Fourth Death This Year at Women’s Prison Under Investigation

Dalephenia Jones, a 62-year-old woman incarcerated at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility, died July 2 at Trinity Health Hospital after being transported from the prison nearly two weeks earlier.

The Michigan Department of Corrections said Jones was hospitalized for what the hospital determined was a cardiac event. Her death marks the fourth death recorded this year at Women’s Huron Valley, Michigan’s only prison for women, as the facility faces continued public and legislative scrutiny over health care, safety and conditions.

Jones was transported from the facility June 19 after officers engaged with her while she was conscious but appeared to need medical assistance, according to MDOC. She was taken to the facility’s health care area, where staff requested outside emergency medical services. An ambulance arrived on the grounds within minutes and took Jones to the emergency room.

Hospital staff determined Jones was having a cardiac event, and she was taken into surgery after arriving. She remained under hospital care after the procedure and died 14 days after being admitted.

MDOC said Jones had multiple documented chronic medical conditions and was being offered treatment through a chronic care plan. Some of those conditions can increase the risk of cardiac events, according to the department. Jones was sentenced in Wayne County to life in prison in 1994.

Because Jones’ death was unexpected, MDOC said it will investigate the events before she was sent to the hospital and release information when the investigation is complete.

Jones’ death follows the deaths of three other women incarcerated at Women’s Huron Valley this year: Khaira Howard, Rebecca Fackler and Ashley Hoath.

Howard died May 13 at the facility, and Fackler died May 17 at the facility. Hoath died June 6 at Trinity Health Hospital several hours after being transferred from Women’s Huron Valley’s medical unit. In a prior update, MDOC said those deaths were under investigation and that full investigations include a mortality review, an autopsy by an independent medical examiner and an administrative investigation reviewing procedural compliance.

According to MDOC, Women’s Huron Valley has recorded four deaths so far in 2026, including deaths that may have occurred either at the facility or at a hospital. The prison recorded six deaths in 2025, six in 2024, six in 2023 and five in 2022.

The deaths come amid intensified scrutiny of health care and conditions at the facility. The Sun Times News previously reported that the May deaths of Howard and Fackler renewed questions about medical care, mold and living conditions there. Those concerns had already drawn legislative attention, including from state Sen. Jeff Irwin, who called for closing the prison after a March oversight hearing.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell also asked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in June to release health and safety records from Women’s Huron Valley and respond to questions about medical care, environmental testing and death investigations.

In a June 18 response to Dingell, MDOC Director Heidi Washington said investigations into the deaths of Howard, Fackler and Hoath include reviewing interactions before their deaths to determine whether policies were followed, including by health care staff. Washington also said MDOC leadership and health care staff had been at the facility daily in recent weeks and acknowledged work remained on communication, processes and expectations of respect and dignity.

MDOC said it has been sending leadership and additional clinical staff to Women’s Huron Valley, hiring full-time medical staff and developing a new health care staffing plan with enhanced nursing management.