Woman Detoxing After Arrest Dies In Harford County Detention Center

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Brittani Ugrotzi died May 7 in the Harford County Detention Center after officials deemed her a "danger to self + community." She was held without bail after being charged in connection to a home invasion burglary.

However, after four days in jail and weeks before her 33rd birthday, Ugrotzi died. The Baltimore Banner has been investigating what it calls an "abnormally high suicide rate" at the Harford County jail. Ugrotzi’s boyfriend, Kyle Baker, told The Baltimore Banner that his girlfriend's mother was told by detectives that she was on suicide watch when she died. According to court documents, Ugrotzi was “detoxing” and suffered from “fentanyl/heroin abuse.” Cristie Hopkins, spokesperson for the Harford County Sheriff's Office, told The Baltimore Banner that there is “no information or evidence to suggest that suicide or foul play contributed.” She did say that Ugrotzi's death is being reviewed by law enforcement, corrections and the contracted medical services provider.

“Lots of people go to jail detoxing, but you don’t go to jail to die within three days,” Baker told The Baltimore Banner. “That’s not how it works.”

Read more at he Baltimore Banner