The Gothamist | Roosevelt House
The family of a man who died at Rikers Island (above) in August is suing the city, alleging he took his own life after corrections officers ignored explicit warnings about his mental health, according to court documents…. The lawsuit claims Avila was placed alone in a cell without monitoring, even after his attorney flagged his mental health needs in open court. His death underscores the ongoing mental health crisis inside the city’s jails, which face the threat of a federal takeover following repeated failures to protect detainees.