PHOENIX — Valley parents are demanding answers after their son passed away while in police custody.
Jill and David Fagan say their 20-year-old son Samuel died at a Phoenix Hospital Thursday while in Maricopa County Sheriff's Office custody. Telling 12News they were shocked to learn Sam was placed on life support Saturday and weren't notified until Monday.
"It was just so hard to hear," David Fagan, Sam's father said. "You're thinking about all the things you've been doing over the last two days while your son is in the hospital and you have no idea.
Fagan is one of eight brothers and sisters. His parents describe him as an adventurer who had no fear.
"He lived big," Jill Fagan, Sam's mother said. "He loved everyone around him.”
Jill and David said their son was finding his own way through life, but came into some troubles. They said Sam had a drug addiction and was working on rehabilitation. Reaching out to them and his siblings for help.
"He reached out a lot when he was struggling," his older sister Nyah Cloward said. "He knew that he needed some help."
However, Sam's trouble caught up with him.
On the first Friday of April, The 20-year-old was arrested in Scottsdale for charges including drug possession. He was taken to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Jail on 4th Avenue. His Mom said Sam called her shortly after he was behind bars.
“I answered the call and he said, 'I don’t really know how to tell you this but I got arrested,'” she recalls.
Knowing of her son's struggles and wanting to keep him safe, she made a decision she thought was best for Sam.
"I thought maybe the best thing would be to let him be in jail for a few days, kind of sober up and then I can pick them up and take them to rehab,” Jill said.
While working on setting up that treatment and finding how much it would be to pay for Sam's bond, Jill says it had been two days since she heard from him. Then on Monday, she says a detective with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office called and told her that Sam had attempted suicide while in his cell and suffered unrevivable brain damage.
“I broke down," Jill said through tears regretting not paying his bail the day he called her.
"Why didn't I save him?" she said.
A spokesperson with MCSO says CPR and Narcan was administered to Fagan before he was transported to the hospital.
Jill then called David and other members of their family to let them know Sam had been transported to a nearby hospital and was placed on life support. Both parents and siblings not only upset they were not told sooner but left with several questions.
"Was this avoidable?" David said. "Could he have been saved?"
Trying to see Sam was another challenge. Both Jill and David say it wouldn't be until Wednesday when they could say their good-byes. Having to do it with armed men in the room.
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On Thursday, Sam passed away.
His family still left with so many questions but claim they were told by MCSO it would take close to a year to receive the report regarding this.
"Six to 12 months is not acceptable," Jill said.
Hoping to better understand what is happening in the Maricopa County jails.
"There's nothing that will bring my son back," Jill said. "But if there's anything I could do, that would make a difference for anyone else, we want that to happen."
Samuel Fagan is the eight in-mate death so far this year. It's part of a growing trend of in-custody deaths at MCSO facilities. Data obtained by 12News from the County Office of the Medical Examiner's show these deaths have increased from 15 in 2020 to 43 in 2022.
12News reached out to MCSO regarding this story. They confirmed the timeline of events but did not respond to an interview request.
Right now Sam's body is still at the hospital. His Mom and Dad say their son is an organ donor and is waiting on that process to start. Hoping his death will bring life to others that need it.
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