Suspicious Death At Center Of Morris County Jail Lawsuit

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A suspicious death at the Morris County Correctional Facility is at the center of a brewing legal battle between the mother of the 34-year-old New Jersey man who was found dead in his cell and several Morris County officials.

The lawsuit, which names Morris County, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and the Morris County Correctional Facility as defendants, claims Stefancik died in his cell on Nov. 27, 2021, from a pulmonary embolism that traveled from his leg to his heart.

Damien Stefancik, a Passaic County resident, was born with several mental deficiencies that resulted in intellectual disabilities that he has had his entire life, according to a lawsuit filed last week by his family.

The wrongful death suit, which was filed in state Superior Court in Morris County, highlights what the family describes as a severe breakdown in training and supervision, which resulted in staff failing to provide proper medical attention to Stefancik prior to his death.

Sonja DeWitt, Stefancik's mother, claims in court documents that the jail failed to inform her family of her son's passing. Instead, according to the lawsuit, "they learned when they received a call from the morgue."

According to the suit, Stefancik, who was 34-years-old when he was brought to the Morris County jail when he was convicted, had the comprehension of a 12-year-old child. He was sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child.

During his time at the Morris County Correctional Facility, Stefancik was subjected to inhumane treatment and discrimination for nearly eight weeks, according to his family.

Stefancik was allegedly unable to shower for 21 days because the jail refused to provide him with a proper towel, and he was forced to wear the same clothing for nearly a month until his family was able to purchase clothing for him at the commissary.

According to the lawsuit, he also went nine days without being provided toilet paper and the air conditioning in his cell was so cold that he urinated on himself.

Stefancik's family expressed their concerns to a jail social worker and reiterated their loved one's mental deficiencies, but were "laughed" off and told nothing could be done unless Stefancik filled out a grievance card.

A grievance card is a statewide system in jails that allows inmates to notify administration of any problems or concerns they may be experiencing. Stefancik tried to file his own grievances, but nothing was done, the suit claims.

Stefancik was jailed on Oct. 3, 2021, with two ruptured disks in his back, for which his doctor advised him to have surgery. Stefancik's family and counsel asked that his sentencing be delayed until he could have this surgery; however, the judge denied the request, noting in court records that his herniated disk had been made known to the prison.

While incarcerated, Stefancik regularly complained to his mother and brother about pain he experienced while walking and standing and about being scared.

His physical health declined over several weeks, according to the suit, with his back injury worsening and new conditions developing. He would experience bleeding from his nose and mouth, frequently telling his family that he "tasted blood," as well as difficulty breathing and severe pain and tingling in his leg.

During their weekly visits to the jail, his family noticed that he struggled to walk, that he had lost a significant amount of weight and that his fingernails were white.

According to his family, it got to the point where Stefancik could barely walk and was constantly out of breath. He couldn't talk for more than a few minutes on the phone because he was out of breath, and during a Thanksgiving visit with his family, he couldn't catch his breath at all, and his eyes began rolling up into the back of his head.

Stefancik's mother informed one of the guards about his deteriorating condition, and the guard informed her that Stefancik would have to fill out a slip to get an appointment with medical.

According to the family, Stefancik told his family to stop calling the jail because he was told by jail personnel that if his family kept calling, it would make things harder on him.

Stefancik died alone in his cell on Nov. 27 and was left there for hours, the suit states.

According to the lawsuit, no staff members at the jail informed the family of Stefancik's death, and the warden refused to speak with family members when they requested it.

Following his death, Stefancik's brother returned to the jail to retrieve his brother's belongings and requested to speak with the warden once more, but was denied.

He claimed he was eventually "forcefully removed" from the premises.

The death of Stefancik is being investigated by the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, which is being overseen by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).

The OPIA is a division of the Attorney General's office which investigates public corruption, criminal violations of civil rights laws and the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers.

The family was told that the Attorney General's office was conducting an investigation, but despite repeated attempts to contact them, they have received no response.

When asked about the lawsuit, Mark Chiarolanza, a spokesperson for the Morris County Sheriff's Office, said Monday that the office does not comment on pending litigation.

Stefancik's mother, Sonja Dewitt, is suing Morris County, the Morris County Correctional Facility, and the Morris County Sheriff's Office for unspecified damages. Individually named are Alan Robinson, the undersheriff; James Gannon, the county sheriff; Christopher Klein, the jail warden; Elmer Gilo, the jail's medical director; Donna Grubel, the jail's medical administrator; and Yolanda Hernandez, a nursing supervisor.

In addition to wrongful death, the lawsuit claims civil rights violations, discrimination, negligence, abuse of process and conspiracy. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary compensation as well as punitive damages.

The article has been updated to include a response from the Morris County Prosecutor's Office and the Morris County Sheriff's Office.