Romanucci & Blandin files federal lawsuit after 39-year-old disabled man dies from untreated strep infection at Harris County Jail

HOUSTON (January 29, 2026) – It has been one year since Kristopher McGregor was very sick with strep throat, not receiving the medical care he deserved, suffering in near silence because of his mental health condition, and died because that infection became extremely severe and took his life. He had a right to medical care and, had he received medicine and care for strep throat, he would be alive today. The family of Kristopher McGregor has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Harris County, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, and jail medical director Dr. Naomi Lockett following McGregor’s preventable death at the Harris County, Texas Jail on January 30, 2025.

Case Background

Kristopher McGregor, a 39-year-old former University of Houston football player, died from complications of an untreated strep throat infection that progressed to septic shock while detained at the jail. Kristopher had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2019, which severely impaired his ability to care for himself and seek medical help.

According to the complaint, jail staff were aware of Kristopher’s mental illness, the fact that it impaired his ability to care for himself and access medical care. During his detention that began on January 2, 2025, staff documented his deteriorating condition but failed to provide him with access to the medical care he needed.

On January 29, he was found on the floor of his cell. By the time he reached the hospital, the infection had caused septic shock, kidney failure, and respiratory failure. He died the following day.

The lawsuit alleges systemic failures at Harris County Jail, where the Texas Commission on Jail Standards has found the facility noncompliant with minimum standards nearly twice per year since 2018. The complaint details numerous other in-custody deaths involving similar failures.

Civil Complaint Details

The civil complaint was filed on January 28, 2026, in the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.

The Plaintiff is Citterece McGregor, Kristopher’s mother, as his personal representative and administrator of his estate. Defendants include Harris County, Texas, Ed Gonzalez in his individual and official capacity, and Dr. Naomi Lockett in her individual and official capacity.

The Plaintiffs are represented by Senior Attorneys Stephen H. Weil and Sam A. Harton from Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, in Chicago, and Attorney Brittany Francis from Peoples’ Counsel, in Texas.

The lawsuit seeks a trial by jury.

The plaintiff seeks compensatory and punitive damages under federal civil rights law, the Americans with Disabilities Act and for wrongful death.

Counts in the lawsuit include:

• COUNT I – Monell Liability (Fourteenth Amendment)
• COUNT II – Deliberate Indifference (Fourteenth Amendment)
• COUNT III – Americans with Disabilities Act
• COUNT IV – Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• COUNT V – Wrongful Death

“Kristopher’s death was entirely unnecessary, and the fact that a mentally ill person was allowed to die from a common and easily treatable infection suggests there are serious problems with the care of mentally ill people under the custody of the Harris County Jail,” said Senior Attorney Stephen H. Weil, Romanucci & Blandin.

“My son Kristopher was a kind and caring person with a beautiful soul who loved his family. He was loved by everyone who knew him. Unfortunately, he suffered from serious mental illness. He cycled for over a decade through emergency rooms, psych hospitals, and our jail. In jail, he was even more vulnerable. His mental health condition prevented him from being able to advocate for himself and his medical needs, and the jail entrusted with his care failed him and did not make sure he was healthy and OK. Kristopher’s death was completely preventable. We love you, Kris, and we miss you dearly,” said Plaintiff Citterece McGregor, Kristopher’s mother.

“Although tragic, Kristopher’s death was not an anomaly. Over 50 percent of our community members who died in Harris County jail last year were repeatedly cycling through both the mental health and the pretrial detention system. Kristopher’s death from an easily treatable infection is not only an indictment but also a warning -- our county government must stop criminalizing mental illness and wasting resources on punitive solutions to public health crises. We should all be so ashamed that our county jail is the largest warehouse of people with serious mental illness in the state of Texas,” said Krishnaveni Gundu, Executive Director of the Texas Jail Project.

“Kristopher’s death is a devastating reminder that cages can’t heal, and that jailing more and more Houstonians will never make us safer. No one should lose their life in such a cruel and callous way,” said Brittany Francis, director of Peoples’ Counsel.

Learn more about Romanucci & Blandin from our website.

ABOUT ROMANUCCI & BLANDIN, LLC

Romanucci & Blandin is a Chicago-based national trial practice committed to fighting for victims of negligence, abuse and wrongful death through impact litigation. For more than 25 years, we have secured more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients - many for millions of dollars or record-setting awards. Our experience ranges from mass shootings, civil rights and police misconduct to medical malpractice, sexual abuse, motor vehicle accidents or workplace injury cases involving individual or institutional negligence. Romanucci & Blandin is a valuable legal resource to individuals and groups of people who have been injured by others’ wrongdoing. Referring attorneys and clients say several factors distinguish our firm: Our record of success, depth of experience, talented and dedicated legal team, tireless preparation, and strategic use of communications to fight for the rights of those whose lives have been changed forever. We differ from other personal injury firms in that our work does not stop when a verdict or settlement is secured. Our clients’ experiences often inspire us to commit resources to transforming lives and communities. For more information about Romanucci & Blandin, please visit: www.rblaw.net. 

ABOUT PEOPLES’ COUNSEL

Peoples’ Counsel is a diverse team of organizers, lawyers, & investigators who believe every survivor of police abuse deserves an advocate. Their approach is two-fold: they fight to vindicate survivors’ rights in court and partner with community organizing groups who are fighting to reduce violence at a systemic level. By providing legal insight and expertise to movement leaders, Peoples’ Counsel helps local coalitions direct their energy toward the most effective levers for change. For more information about Peoples’ Counsel, please visit: https://peoplescounsel.org/