On June 20, 2024, Tarrant County Jail inmate Kaiyere Campbell was transferred to a state mental health hospital. Mr. Campbell's incarceration has received media attention due to the unique circumstances surrounding his case.
Mr. Campbell, who has an intellectual and developmental disability, has been in jail since December after assaulting a caregiver in a group home he resided in. In February he was found incompetent to stand trial and ordered to be transferred to a mental health facility. There were no openings available, and he was placed on a waiting list. By law, Mr. Campbell remained in TCSO custody until a bed became available.
There's been some misinformation reported about Mr. Campbell's living conditions at the Tarrant County Jail. For reporting purposes, we'd like to address some of the allegations.
There have been claims that Campbell lost a lot of weight. While this was true initially, it was due to his refusal to eat the food served in the jail. Once it was determined that Mr. Campbell would only eat chicken sandwiches, jail employees purchased special chicken patties to make sandwiches that he consumed at each mealtime. Once he began eating again, he regained weight.
It was also discovered that Campbell enjoyed coloring books and crayons. Detention Officers purchased coloring books with their own money and gave them to Campbell to keep him occupied. No other inmate received this level of attention or special treatment.
It was also alleged that Mr. Campbell had self-inflicted sores on his body. Many members of jail administration and staff, including Sheriff Waybourn, visited Campbell on a daily basis multiple times a week. No injuries like this were ever observed on his body.
