OKEMAH, Okla. — On April 8th, the Oklahoma Department of Health conducted an unannounced inspection at the Okfuskee County Jail.
Eight months later, the sheriff's office reported inmate Joshua Butler escaped from the facility.
WATCH: Report reveals how Okfuskee County Jail failed state safety standards
A 35-page report details deficiencies putting the 79 inmates housed there at the time at risk, and sheds light on the question 2 News has been asking for nearly a month: How did an inmate escape and go unaccounted for for five days?
IMMEDIATE HEALTH HAZARDS
Dangerous Kitchen Operations
- Knives left unsecured with inmates present, no staff supervision
- No log maintained for sharp tools/weapons
- Kitchen utensils not retrieved or secured after use
Emergency System Failures
- Intercom system in Pod D completely non-functional - inmates cannot call for help in emergencies
- No emergency generator logs provided
- Fire safety systems compromised
Severe Overcrowding
- 79 inmates in facility rated for 118, but insufficient beds
- 4 inmates forced to sleep on floors in Pod D (12 inmates, only 8 beds)
- 1 juvenile forced to sleep on floor (3 juveniles, only 2 beds)
- 2 inmates shackled to chairs in hallway for "medical observation"
Critical Medical Failures
Medication Control Breakdown
- Pills found loose on inmate bunks (white pills discovered in Pod C)
- No documentation of medication administration for 11 inmates over 2-day period
- Nurse acknowledged being "behind" on medication documentation
- No medical watch logs for at-risk inmates
Missing Medical Policies
- No intake medical screening questionnaire available
- No health care plan on file
- No policies for medical/psychiatric segregation
DEPLORABLE LIVING CONDITIONS
Sanitation Crisis
- Black/brown mold-like residue covering shower floors and walls in multiple pods
- Large holes in concrete shower walls exposing inmates to injury
- Damaged plumbing with sharp exposed edges
- Torn mattress covers used as privacy curtains
- Cracked, torn, missing mattress covers that cannot be sanitized
- Trash scattered throughout facility
No Hot Water
- Facility-wide hot water outage affecting all washbasins and showers
- Inmates report no shower access for entire month of April in isolation cells
- Leaking toilets creating standing water hazards
SYSTEMATIC SUPERVISION FAILURES
Inadequate Monitoring
- Sight checks not documented for 19+ hours over two day period period
- April 7: No checks from 11 am-3 pm and 6 pm-midnight
- April 8: No checks from midnight to 7 pm
Missing Critical Policies
- No grievance procedures for inmate complaints
- No mail/visitation policies
- No classification/segregation policies
- No fire drill documentation
FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS
Life-Threatening Conditions
- Missing ceiling tiles allowing fire/smoke migration
- Light fixtures covered with paper creating fire hazards
- Materials not meeting fire marshal code requirements
FACILITY ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEMS
Jail Administrator acknowledged multiple violations, including:
- Non-functioning intercom systems
- Maintenance and sanitation issues
- Inmates sleeping on floors due to overcrowding
- Facility-wide hot water outage
- Missing ceiling tiles and coverage light fixtures
- Poor mattress conditions
Despite acknowledging these serious safety and health violations, the facility was found to be "not in substantial compliance" with state standards.
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