UPDATE: Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.
The family of a state inmate who died while shoveling snow at an Eastern Kentucky prison says they're being left in the dark about what happened to their loved one.
Marvin Knuckles died while removing snow and ice debris at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex in West Liberty, according to corrections officials. His sister, Rita Alexander, wants to know why her brother was outside in the middle of the night shoveling snow and ice when state leaders have been urging everyone to stay out of the dangerously cold weather for their own safety.
"My mind is so foggy, my heart is broken - just don't know what to do and I can't get answers," Alexander said.
Alexander says her family was notified Tuesday morning just before 10 a.m. that Knuckles had died while working at the prison. But she says no other details were given, and most of the information came from the Morgan County Coroner.
"He said my brother was pronounced dead at 7:39 and said my brother only had one injury on him and it was above one eye - he said something that my brother had a steel rod out shoveling snow but I don't know if other inmates were with him or not," Alexander said.
"The coroner told me he fell over a 40-foot embankment."
Alexander has pressing questions about the circumstances surrounding her brother's death.
"I want to know why my brother was out at one something in the morning shoveling ice and why with it below zero and why was he around a cliff where he could fall off or any other inmate?" Alexander said.
When the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet reported Knuckles' death in a press release, there was no mention that Knuckles may have fallen over an embankment.
Morgan County Coroner Shawn VanCleave confirmed that he talked to Kentucky State Police and said Knuckles fell in the vicinity of a steep embankment near the entrance to the prison.
"Like I said, he slipped on the ice and went over and, but they got him right then, you know, and took him to the ER," VanCleave said.
LEX 18 emailed corrections officials asking if Knuckles did fall and if so, why would inmates be working in dangerous weather conditions.
Late Wednesday afternoon, we received this response:
"The incident resulted in an accidental fall down an embankment at the facility. This incident was reported to KSP, as are all inmate deaths, and an autopsy is pending. The Department is also conducting a review to ensure all related policies and procedures were followed," wrote Morgan Hall with the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet.
Knuckles' family says they need answers and believes the prison was negligent.
"Even if my brother died from shoveling snow - it was neglect of the prison to have him and any other inmates out there shoveling snow at 1 in morning below zero and I said what would they be shoveling it'd be ice - where would they be putting it at and have them around a cliff to fall off with no gear on to catch them - no fence," Alexander said.
Alexander emphasized that inmates are still human beings deserving of safety and care.
"The people in these prisons - they're still human, they're somebody's child - somebody's dad, brother, sister and no matter what they did they still got feelings and somebody loves them. We just have a loss for words just don't know what to think," Alexander said.
Original Story:
Officials report that an inmate at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex has died after sustaining injuries from a fall while clearing snow and ice Tuesday morning, marking the second storm-related death in the state.
According to a press release from the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet, Marvin Knuckles was a part of a work crew that "was removing snow and ice debris on facility grounds prior to the start of regular inmate movement when Mr. Knuckles fell and sustained a head injury."
Knuckles was transported to Appalachian Regional Hospital, where he later died.
“This tragic accident is one that we work to avoid each day as we protect those in our custody,” Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson said in the release. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Knuckles and to our correctional staff. We will conduct a thorough review of this situation to better prevent this from happening again.”
