SNOW HILL, Md. - The mother of an inmate who took his own life in Worcester County Jail in 2021 has reached a settlement with the jail’s medical provider outside of court.
According to court documents obtained by WBOC, Kyle Arthur was arrested on Sept. 9, 2021 for driving under the influence and taken to the Worcester County Jail. Arthur told the jail’s booking staff that he was withdrawing from opiates, court documents read, and was potentially facing violation of probation from a previous suspended sentence.
The next day, Arthur was found dead in his cell after hanging himself from a metal bar with his bed sheets.
Arthur’s mother, Jennifer Albero, would later file a lawsuit against Worcester County, the jail’s warden, various jail personnel, and the jail’s medical provider Wellpath. The suit was filed in April of 2024.
In the suit, Albero alleges the correctional and healthcare staff did not provide Arthur with adequate medical and mental health screenings or treatments upon being taken to the jail. Had he received the proper care, Albero argues, he would not have died.
Albero goes on to allege that Arthur informed medical staff that he was withdrawing from opiates and asked if they had any medication-assisted treatment to alleviate the symptoms.
“Opiate withdrawal is a known risk factor for suicide, especially in detention center settings,” Albero’s suit reads. “According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assitance, ‘from 2000 to 2019, suicide was the leading cause of death among jail inmates.’ Opioid withdrawal was the most common drug-involved reason for suicide.”
Only Tylenol, Imodium, and an anti-nausea medication were ordered for Arthur, according to the suit.
Albero also alleges Worcester County Jail staff only checked on Arthur three times during an eight-hour shift when checks are required to be every half-an-hour.
Among the counts Albero brought against the defendants were medical negligence and wrongful death. Albero sought $5 million in damages.
In October of 2025, Albero and medical contractor Wellpath filed a notice of settlement in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland for an undisclosed amount outside of court. According to court records, Judge James K. Bredar approved the settlement on Oct. 9, noting that the case could be reopened should the settlement not be finalized.
Wellpath has faced more than 1,500 lawsuits alleging poor medical care for prisoners, according to Reuters. In 2024, the company filed for bankruptcy.
Editor’s note: A defendant listed in the suit is the sister of WBOC Anchor and Managing Editor Hunter Landon.