Family upset over inmate's death one week after release

DENTON, Md. (AP) — The family of a man found dead under a bridge a week after he was released from jail on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is blaming the detention facility for contributing to his death.

Relatives of Scott deNagy, 49, say they believe a lack of communication and a lack of an inmate-release plan at the Caroline County jail played a part in deNagy’s death.

DeNagy’s body was found under a bridge in Denton on Jan. 19, a week after he was released from the jail. Police say there were no signs of foul play.

Ruth Colbourne, the jail’s warden, said she and the jail staff are sorry deNagy died, but that corrections officials aren’t allowed to inform family of an inmate’s release date. That’s up to individual inmates,
Colbourne told The Star Democrat.

Online court records show deNagy had been serving time in jail after he pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of property.

DeNagy’s sister, Tracy Lea of Taneytown, said her brother suffered from mental illness and substance abuse issues that began after he was injured more than 15 years ago.

Lea said officials the agency offered deNagy a free bus token to get to Cambridge, but he didn’t want to take it. DeNagy then left the office, and that was the last known time he was seen alive.

His family members say they felt more should have been done to make sure deNagy made it somewhere safe.