Estate of Man Who Died in St. Thomas Jail Sues BOC Officials For “Deliberate Indifference” To Hemophiliac’s Medical Needs

On Wednesday May 4 2022, Craig Vanausdal was arrested at the Cyril E. King airport, after local officials discovered an outstanding warrant from the state of Pennsylvania, dating back to 2014. After agreeing to waive the extradition process, he was remanded into custody to await retrieval by Pennsylvania authorities. By May 16, Mr. Vanausdal was dead. His estate is now suing Governor Albert Bryan Jr. and officials of the Bureau of Corrections, alleging that while in custody, Mr. Vanausdal was denied the medication he relied on to keep him alive.

Mr. Vanausdal suffered from hemophilia, a genetic condition in which blood does not clot as it should, leading to the serious risk of hemorrhage and death from even minor lacerations and injuries. During his initial court proceedings, he was asked about his health conditions and indicated that his disorder necessitated an ongoing course of medication. “BOC shall give the defendant the necessary medications that is needed while in their custody every Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” presiding judge Sigrid Tejo ordered following an extradition hearing on May 6, 2022.

According to the lawsuit, the required documentation was filled out and submitted so that officials had all the necessary information regarding Mr. Vanausdal’s need for medication, including photographs of the packaging and labels. BOC’s Medical Director Linda Callwood, named as a defendant in the suit, reportedly conducted a physical on Mr. Vanausdal and took his medical history on May 9, noting his hemophilia and his medication dosing schedule of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

At the time, Dr. Callwood is said to have decided to discard doses of expired medication that Mr. Vanausdal had in his possession, despite not having any substitute or replacement on hand. In jail without the medication he needed to keep his condition under control, Mr. Vanausdal began to suffer “deep bruising, joint pain and swelling, and unexplained and uncontrolled bleeding, while experiencing blood in both his urine and stool” the lawsuit claims.