On March 29th, 2023, Kayla McGavran was taking into custody after answering her medical intake questionnaire, a condition of drug court, indicating that she had last used methamphetamine three days prior.
One week later, Kayla had been lodged as a normal inmate. On April 5th, 2023, around 4:40 p.m. Winnebago County Corrections Officer Volden heard a crash coming from Kayla’s cell and found her on the ground having a seizure.
The medical staff for the jail responded and moved her into the medical unit.
About an hour later, Kayla told C.O. Lisney that had taken drugs that she had gotten from another inmate.
Linsey left and his supervisors, jail Lieutenant Kirby and Sergeant Cox, returned and further questioned Kayla further leading to the revelations that she had being taking what she believed to be cocaine twice a day every day since she got into the jail. She said it was the last thing she remembered doing before she “blacked out.”
At 7:19 p.m. Kayla told Yoder that there was still cocaine in her shirt pocket. Yoder went to get her a new shirt but by the time she returned, she found Kayla unresponsive on the floor.
Yoder called for medical and the jail staff, Rockford Fire and EMS responded. Kayla was taken to Swedish American Hospital where she tested positive for fentanyl and cocaine and the substance in her pocket tested positive for cocaine.
Kayla was released back to the jail the same night - back into the medical unit.
She slept through the night occasionally waking up before she was the out of her cell around 7 a.m. and into the pod for an hour.
At 8:01 a.m. she is sent back into her cell where she wrapped herself in a blanket.
At 9:17 a.m. while lying on the mattress her body can be seen shaking uncontrollably until 9:23 a.m. Kayla then sat up and began reading a book.
From 9:15 a.m. to 10:16 a.m. her body went through several periods of shaking uncontrollably to completely motionless. Corrections officer Vurnonas while conducting rounds noticied Kayla’s motionless body and called for medics.
The jail nurses and eventually EMT responded but it was too late. After being transported to Swedish American Hospital, Kayla was pronounced dead.
This at least the seventh death inside the Winnebago County Jail since 2022.
This was the 36th case investigated and justified by the Winnebago Boone County Integrity Task Force.