Juan Carlos Ramirez Bibiano, an inmate at Telfair State Prison in Georgia, died of heart and lung failure after officers left him in an outdoor cell in the summer heat for five hours without water or ice, despite instructions from a warden to limit the amount of time inmates spend outdoors, a lawsui

The Georgia sun scorched the slab of concrete beneath Juan Carlos Ramirez Bibiano’s body when nurses found him in a puddle of his own excrement, vomiting, according to a complaint.

Officers left Ramirez in an outdoor cell at Telfair State Prison on July 20, 2023, for five hours without water, shade or ice, even as the outside temperature climbed to 96 degrees by the afternoon, according to a lawsuit brought by his family. That evening, the complaint says, Ramirez died of heart and lung failure caused by heat exposure. He was 27.

Ramirez’s family, including his mother, Norma Bibiano, announced a lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Corrections on Thursday, alleging that officers’ negligent performance of their duties caused his death. The warden directed officers to check on inmates, bring them water and ice and limit their time outside, the complaint says.

The Department of Corrections reported that Ramirez died of natural causes, Jeff Filipovits, one of Norma Bibiano’s attorneys, said at a news conference in Decatur, a suburb of Atlanta.

  • carbonari_sandwich@lemm.eeEnglish
    36·
    4 months ago

    In Albany, Georgia on July 20th, 2023, the relative humidity at 94 F was 54%. As someone who’s experienced dry heat vs humidity, I wanted to offer that context. Sweating just doesn’t cool you down as the humidity rises.

    • Notyou
      17·
      4 months ago

      I always heard the phrase “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” growing up when people complained about the heat. I thought it was annoying as hell to hear. I can feel the heat.

      Then I lived in a place with dry heat. Holy fuck is it different. I can handle dry heat better. My electronics can’t though.

        • iMeddles@infosec.pubEnglish
          12·
          4 months ago

          Dry air causes way more static electricity build up, which electronics really don’t like having discharged into them

        • Notyou
          6·
          4 months ago

          Honestly, I don’t know why. I just know we had to replace our electronics more quickly than other places. Both my personal items and at my job.

          I would assume what iMeddles said was correct. It makes sense to me.

          • sopo
            5·
            4 months ago

            The’re right, another thing you notice in a dry house (like Swiss homes in winter pounding crazy heating) is that you can get even painful (to the hand) mini electric shocks just walking around with slippers/crocs and then touching the metal kitchen vent, chargers…unless you ground yourself once in a while. Never happens in a humid climate/house.