A recent court filing has brought to light a harrowing case involving the death of an inmate under questionable circumstances at a private correctional facility. The complaint, filed by Andrea Griffin in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida, on November 25, 2024, accuses The GEO Group, Inc., and GEO Secure Services, LLC of negligence leading to the death of Antron Griffin.
Andrea Griffin, acting as the personal representative of her deceased son Antron Griffin's estate, has initiated legal proceedings against The GEO Group, Inc., and its subsidiary GEO Secure Services, LLC. These companies are responsible for operating the South Bay Correctional Facility in Florida. According to the complaint, they failed to provide adequate security and care for inmates under their supervision. The plaintiff alleges that these failures directly contributed to Antron Griffin's untimely death on March 11, 2024.
The lawsuit details a series of incidents at the South Bay Correctional Facility from October 2009 to March 2024 that highlight a pattern of negligence and inadequate safety measures. Notably, multiple deaths and injuries have occurred during this period due to suicides, homicides, accidents, and violent assaults within the facility. For instance, on September 26, 2016, inmate Nicholas Beyo died by suicide; on January 6, 2019, an anonymous inmate's death was ruled a homicide; and on several occasions between September 17 and October 15 in 2023 alone, inmates were injured in violent stabbing incidents.
The complaint asserts that The GEO Group and its subsidiary breached their contractual obligations with the Florida Department of Corrections by failing to maintain proper security measures and staff training necessary for safeguarding inmates like Antron Griffin. It cites specific failures such as inadequate surveillance systems and insufficient staffing levels that compromised inmate safety. Furthermore, it highlights two instances where employees were assaulted by inmates due to lax security protocols—incidents that resulted in citations from the United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Andrea Griffin is seeking damages exceeding $50,000 for her son's wrongful death under Florida Statutes Section 768.21. She claims that both she and her family have suffered significant emotional distress due to Antron's tragic demise at just 22 years old while incarcerated at South Bay Correctional Facility. Additionally sought are compensation for medical expenses related to his death as well as loss of future support he would have provided his family had he lived.
Representing Andrea Griffin are attorneys Kimberly L. Wald and Michael A. Haggard from The Haggard Law Firm based in Coral Gables Florida. The Case ID is:502024CA011223XXXAMB Div: AE.