Media outlets around Utah are following the case of a 21-year-old woman who died in the Duchesne County Jail last December. A Good4Utah report at the time included family asking for answers in the death of 21-year-old Madison Jody Jensen and in March Duchesne County Sheriff Dave Boren issued a statement addressing this death and that of another woman’s death in November. “The cause of death was not immediately apparent and, as of today, has still not yet been determined,” shared Sheriff Boren on the death of Madison Jensen. The state Medical Examiner’s office has since released their report, revealing Jensen’s cause of death as Probable Cardiac Arrhythmia due to Dehydration due to Opiate withdrawal. The final pathologic diagnosis referenced a history of illicit drug abuse but that the postmortem toxicology was negative for alcohol and drugs of abuse. The Medical Examiner’s report classified the death as “natural”, stating that the toxicology was consistent with profound dehydration due to withdrawal. It further clarifies that “withdrawal is a complication of chronic drug use and therefore, the manner of death is certified as natural.” The report also shows that Madison weighed only 87 pounds at the time of her death but that just 4 days earlier she weighed 129 pounds when booked into the jail. The woman’s family is asking why Madison did not receive more direct medical attention as she was violently sick and suffering from dehydration.
