DAYTON — Montgomery County Commissioner Mary McDonald is calling for a deeper investigation into recent deaths at the county jail following the discovery of 29-year-old inmate Quintin Forest, who was found not breathing on November 28th.
The incident has raised concerns among community members, prompting McDonald to amplify their calls for transparency and accountability within the jail’s operations.
“There are people in the community who have stopped, and they’ve asked me, what’s going on,” said McDonald.
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News Center 7’s Amber Jenkins spent the morning talking with Commissioner McDonald about what she would like to see as deeper insight into jail operations on News Center 7 at 5:00.
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Investigators are currently working to determine the cause of Quintin Forest’s death, with an inmate admitting to providing Forest with prescription pain medication before he stopped breathing.
The investigation is pending the coroner’s toxicology results, which will inform any potential charges with the prosecutor’s office.
McDonald expressed her appreciation for the difficult work done by the sheriff’s office, but emphasized her concern about the community’s questions regarding the jail’s operations.
“I very much appreciate all the work that’s being done in the jail. It’s a very difficult job. The job of the sheriff is a very, very difficult position. But my concern is when citizens come to me, and they ask me, What happened? How could this happen?” McDonald stated.
Although county commissioners do not oversee jail operations, McDonald highlighted their role in overseeing the county’s budget, which includes funding for lawsuits against the sheriff’s office.“That’s where we come in as Montgomery County Commissioners; taxpayers’ dollars have to pay off the settlements and things like that. I can think of how many positive things we could actually do in the community,” McDonald said.
The sheriff’s office responded with a statement emphasizing their commitment to cooperation and transparency in the ongoing review of jail operations.
Commissioner McDonald expressed her willingness to engage with Sheriff Rob Streck, stating, “What I would like is to have a relationship enough with him that what we say matters and that when things happen over in the jail, that he’s willing to come over and discuss those things with us.”
News Center 7 reached out to the sheriff’s office for a statement, and Sheriff Rob Streck said:
“I want to be clear: the agencies referenced provide established oversight of jail operations through regular inspections and reviews as we have previously stated. The Sheriff’s Office continues to provide full cooperation with each agency in their review of jail operations. Transparency, accountability, and compliance remain central to how we operate. We welcome these inspections and remain committed to meeting the expectations and standards of the community we serve.”
— Rob Streck, Montgomery County Sheriff
As the investigation continues, Commissioner McDonald remains open to dialogue with the sheriff’s office to address community concerns and ensure accountability in jail operations.
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