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What to do if…
you are told a relative died in custody and you need to confirm the details

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Pause before acting on the message. Use an official website to find the facility or agency main number, then ask which office is handling family communication and whether a coroner, medical examiner, or other investigating office has a case.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t send money, gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or financial account details to someone demanding a fee to confirm a death or release belongings.
  • Don’t rely only on the phone number, link, or caller ID shown in the message. Look up an official main number yourself.
  • Don’t travel urgently or post names and details publicly solely because of an unverified call, text, or social-media message.
  • Don’t assume every county uses the same process or that a coroner or medical examiner is always the first office to call.
  • Don’t try to decide about complaints, records requests, media contact, or legal action while you are still confirming the basic facts.

What to do now

  1. Write down the message details.
    Record the caller’s name and role, the agency or facility they named, the incoming phone number, the date and time, the city, county, and state, and any booking number, inmate number, incident number, or case number they gave you.

  2. Find an official main number independently.
    For a county or local jail, use an official local-government website. For a state prison, use the state department of corrections website. For federal custody, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons facility list or inmate locator. If immigration detention is mentioned or the facility is unclear, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System. Do not use only the number or link supplied in the message.

  3. Call the official main number and ask for the family-contact route.
    Say:
    “I received a message that [full name and date of birth] may have died while in custody. I am trying to verify whether this is true and find the official contact for the family.”
    Ask:

    • whether the office can confirm the information or route your call
    • the name and role of the person handling family communication
    • a callback route through the official main number
    • any reference number they can share
    • which coroner, medical examiner, or investigating office is handling the case, if applicable

  4. Call the handling office using its independently verified main number.
    Ask whether it has a case for your relative, whether it can confirm identity, and whether it can share a case or reference number. Ask what information it needs to verify your relationship and how family updates are normally provided.

  5. Use the custody-specific route if needed.
    If the person may have been in a federal prison, call the facility’s official main number and ask for the person handling family communication. If the message says immigration detention, use the ICE locator if needed, then call the detention facility’s official main number and ask for the family-contact route. If the facility says another agency had custody, ask for that agency’s official name and main number, then verify the number independently.

  6. Keep one written note of verified details.
    Write down each official number you called, the date and time, the staff member’s name and role, any reference number, and the next callback step. Ask staff to repeat details slowly and request written confirmation if available.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide now about complaints, lawsuits, records requests, advocacy, or media contact.
  • You do not need a complete explanation immediately. Early information may be limited while identity, jurisdiction, and the handling office are being confirmed.
  • Questions about belongings, release of remains, funeral arrangements, and paperwork can wait until you have confirmed the death and have one reliable official contact.

Important reassurance

A sudden message like this can make it difficult to think clearly. For now, it is enough to verify the information through independently found official numbers, write down one reliable contact route, and take the next step slowly.

Scope note

These are first steps only for confirming a reported death in custody and finding the appropriate official contact. Later decisions may need specialist help.

Important note

This guide provides general information, not legal, medical, financial, therapeutic, or professional advice. Processes vary by state, county, facility, custody type, and the circumstances of the death. Ask the relevant official office what applies in this case.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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