Anyone with information related to mistreatment at the jail asked to step forward
Minneapolis, Minn. – Storms Dworak LLC has filed a federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota (Case No. 25-cv-03882) on behalf of the family of 57-year-old Robert Slaybaugh, who died while in custody at the Crow Wing County Jail in February 2024.
Robert was a beloved husband, father, and community leader, who served for 36 years as Camp Director of Confidence Learning Center, providing outdoor recreational experiences for individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. His wife of 32 years, Susan Slaybaugh, brings this action as trustee for his next of kin, seeking justice for her husband and to spur reform within the Crow Wing County Jail.
Robert entered the jail severely intoxicated, registering a blood alcohol concentration of .282—a level that presented a serious medical emergency. The Complaint alleges that despite Robert’s disclosure of information that placed him at a high risk for suicide, including his extreme intoxication coupled with a prior suicide attempt within the previous six months, correctional staff cleared him for general housing without access to medical or mental health professionals until at least the next morning.
The Complaint further alleges that Robert was placed in a cell equipped with a sheet and bunk ligature points that the Minnesota Department of Corrections had previously identified as a suicide hazard and an unsafe condition for inmates with mental-health concerns. About 61 minutes after being placed in that cell, Robert was found hanging.
The Complaint also alleges that Crow Wing County maintained unconstitutional customs and practices that fostered a culture of disregard toward suicide prevention. Despite years of warnings and multiple prior suicide attempts at the jail, the County failed to mitigate known hazards. The lawsuit includes email correspondence between jail supervisors that the Complaint alleges reflects a mocking attitude toward staff concerns about suicide-prevention measures.
Anyone with information related to mistreatment at the Crow Wing County jail can contact Storms Dworak at 1-800-B-WOLVES
“Our jails must take suicide prevention seriously,” said Storms Dworak partner Jeff Storms. “Jail should be an initial step in the rehabilitative process—whether that means addressing addiction, mental health, or providing basic safety and stability. There have been too many prior deaths at the Crow Wing County Jail, particularly by suicide. Deaths like Robert’s are foreseeable but preventable when correctional facilities honor their constitutional duty to protect those in their care and refuse to turn a blind eye to obvious risks.”
For media questions or requests, contact Brandon Stahl at brandon@stormsdworak.com or 218-213-7275.