The South Correctional Entity has published investigation findings of a 21-year-old woman’s death at Valley Medical Center in Renton on March 5, four days following her incarceration at the SCORE Jail.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office’s initial autopsy report, published March 6, for Makena Buckland identified no cause of death nor manner of death.
Six months following her death, the South Correctional Entity’s review of Buckland’s “unexpected fatality,” published on Aug. 16, identified her manner of death as natural, resulting from “anoxic brain injury in the setting of repeated resuscitation performed due to aspiration pneumonia originating during an episode of vomiting due to opioid use disorder.”
According to the review, Buckland’s cellmate discovered her having a seizure on March 5 at approximately 3:43 a.m., with Buckland “[appearing] to be vomiting while seizing.” At 3:44 a.m., the first officer arrived, initiating a request for outside assistance and providing medical assistance, including beginning the process of clearing Buckland’s airway and moving her into a recovery position.
Responding corrections officers and medical staff conducted CPR and utilized an AED on Buckland at 3:47 a.m.
At 3:55 a.m., the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority and Medic One arrived, transporting Buckland to Valley Medical Center.
According to the review, staff at Valley Medical Center conducted multiple rounds of CPR on Buckland prior to pronouncing her as deceased.
SCORE Jail booked Buckland on March 1 on violation of a no-contact order through the City of Bellevue after she arrived at the jail to turn herself in.
According to the review, a strip search of Buckland discovered 6.66 grams of blue pills in a plastic bag. Following an evaluation, a nurse placed Buckland on detox protocols prior to her assignment to the general population. From March 1 to March 4, Buckland participated in detox checks with a nurse, with Buckland reporting mild nausea with no vomiting on March 4.
A video review conducted following her death showed her vomiting on March 4.
Following Buckland’s death, a SCORE Jail committee met on four occasions to discuss the incident, review materials, and develop action plans for identified issues.
According to the review, the committee found that the response time to Buckland’s medical event served as “immediate and well-coordinated.”
In regards to recommendations following Buckland’s death, the committee “discussed advancing medication timelines for persons with low BMI.”
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