JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — The family of a woman who died while in custody at the Jefferson County Jail is demanding answers.
Ashley Jo Raisbeck, 27, had just begun her 28-day sentence for false reporting, which she pleaded guilty to on Dec. 14, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
On Dec. 16, medical staff in the jail were conducting routine check-ups on inmates who were in the detox program when they found Raisbeck suffering from a medical emergency, the sheriff's office said.
Raisbeck was taken to the medical unit, where she later collapsed. At that time, she was breathing, according to the sheriff's office.
Medical staff administered three rounds of Narcan. At some point, she stopped breathing, so they began CPR, according to a press release from JCSO. Paramedics arrived and took over CPR.
Raisbeck was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died. Her family is now left with several unanswered questions.
"She clearly wasn't overdosing. So that's my question, why did they use the Narcan?" asked Raisbeck's mother, Jamie Raisbeck.
This is an unfortunately familiar feeling for Jamie. In 2020, her youngest child and only son, Joshua, was murdered on New Year's Eve.
"All the girls were all having a hard time with it, but Ashley was really having a hard time," Jamie said. "She was addicted to fentanyl the past few years. She struggled really, really hard."
She said that all led her daughter down a path of excessive drug use and run-ins with the law.
"I was always [like], "When are you gonna go to treatment, Ashley? When are you gonna get help?" And she would always tell me, "Mom, I'm ready. I'm ready. It's just scary,"" Jamie said.
Raisbeck's family believes her death could've been prevented.
"When people are withdrawing, they need the proper care," said Ashley's sister, Aleah, "These are inmates that they see like quite often, or they're just coming in, but they should still have the proper medical care, you know. They are still humans at the end of the day."
Raisbeck's family is awaiting the results of her autopsy, which will come back in about six to eight weeks. Her family has vowed to get to the bottom of what happened.
"I'm gonna be her voice, and I'm gonna get the hard questions answered," added Jaime.
On Thursday, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said medical staff administered Narcan on the presumption that Raisbeck was experiencing a drug overdose, based on her symptoms, admission that she had recently ingested drugs and her history of drug use. Narcan does not cause adverse side effects, so if she was not experiencing a drug overdose, the Narcan would not have had any adverse effect on her, the sheriff's office said.
Raisbeck will be laid to rest next to her little brother, Joshua. Her family has launched a GoFundMe online fundraiser to raise money for her burial expenses.
