Police are investigating the death of a woman who was being detained at Vermont’s only women’s correctional facility.
Kristine L. Brennan, 49, died at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility Monday, following her arrest Saturday on charges of retail theft and misdemeanors.
Brennan is the fourth person to die in custody of the Department of Corrections this year.
Brennan was due to be arraigned in the criminal division of Chittenden County Superior Court on Tuesday. The courts were closed Monday because of a state holiday.
At the time of her death, Brennan was being held for lack of $750 bail.
Brennan was discovered unresponsive in her cell Monday afternoon, at which time prison personnel provided medical attention and arranged for transportation to the hospital, according to a press release from the Vermont State Police. She was pronounced dead at the UVM Medical Center.
In a press release Monday, Vermont State Police said that there was no indication of “any signs of foul play.” An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday.
Lt. Brian Miller of the Vermont State Police said Tuesday afternoon that Brennan’s cause of death is still pending.
In addition to the investigation by the Vermont State Police, the Agency of Human Services will investigate Brennan’s death. Defender General Matt Valerio confirmed Tuesday that his office will conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Brennan’s death.
South Burlington police arrested Brennan on Saturday following reports that she had shoplifted from the JC Penny located on Dorset Street. Brennan allegedly stole three packages of shirts from the store, which had a collective value of $65, according to a South Burlington Police Department affidavit.
According to the affidavit, Brennan told police that she “steals clothing and sells the merchandise on the street so that she can buy food, drink, and cigarettes.”
While she was detained at the South Burlington police station, the arresting officer, Cpl. Andrew Traynor, found that Brennan had two pills with her. Traynor determined the pills to be 50-milligram doses of Tramadol, a prescription painkiller that has effects similar to opioids.
According to the affidavit, at the time of her arrest on Saturday, Brennan complained that she would be “sick” in corrections because of withdrawal.
Traynor wrote in the report that Brennan “stated she was currently sick and she believes it is an infection from sharing needles.”
DOC Deputy Commissioner Lisa Menard declined to comment about Brennan’s medical treatment, noting the information is protected under privacy laws.
Dr. Dee Burroughs-Biron, health services director for the DOC, said that, in general, people are asked about their substance use habits at the time they are brought into DOC facilities.
Once in custody, the DOC monitors the individual for symptoms of opiate withdrawal and gives them medications as needed, Burroughs-Biron said.
South Burlington Police Chief Trevor Whipple said in a phone interview that if Brennan had clearly been in need of medical attention at the time of her arrest, the police would have brought her to the hospital or called for EMTs.
“There was nothing to lead us to believe that that individual required care at that moment,” Whipple said.
The DOC would have been provided a copy of the affidavit when the police transferred her to the correctional facility, Whipple said. On some occasions, people are transferred to DOC with a one-page form, but the affidavit would follow shortly thereafter, he said.
According to Defender General Matt Valerio, in general, the people in DOC custody generally do get treatment for opiate withdrawal, and inmates generally get good medical care.
However, he added, “Is it perfect? No.”
Valerio was unaware of the information in the affidavit regarding Brennan’s comments to Traynor about being sick. However, he said that it is the responsibility of law enforcement to communicate an individual’s health status to the DOC.
At the time of her death, Brennan was jailed for lack of $750 bail — an amount set by a court clerk.
Suzi Wizowaty, of Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform, said that Brennan’s death prompts some reflection on the usefulness of monetary bail in Vermont’s criminal justice system.
Wizowaty helped to craft a piece of legislation, H.221, introduced this year by Rep. Mollie Burke, P-Windham, that would have made broad changes to the criminal justice system, including eliminating monetary bail.
“It’s important to not point the finger at the Department of Corrections, but to recognize that the problem lies in the entire system,” Wizowaty said.
