An autopsy cited in the report found that Flaherty died of dehydration and ketoacidosis caused by opioid withdrawal.
KENT, Wash. — The estate of Rena Flaherty claims in a federal lawsuit that the city of Kent and its jail medical providers failed to treat her opioid withdrawal symptoms before she died in her Kent jail cell in April 2025.
The complaint, filed May 8 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, names the city of Kent, Healthcare Delivery Systems Inc. and HDS CEO Shannon Slack as defendants.
According to the lawsuit and investigation, Flaherty was booked into the Kent City Correctional Facility on April 19, 2025, on a misdemeanor warrant Accidental Death Review Committee Report. The report was prepared by the Kent Police Department Corrections Division and submitted to the state on August 15, 2025.
She told the booking agent she had used fentanyl and was “currently” going through withdrawal, the complaint and report state.
HDS did not evaluate Flaherty until about 18 hours after she was booked, the lawsuit states. However, the report stated that between 9:30 am and 2:30 pm on April 20, she was asked “multiple times” if she wanted to see a doctor, but did not go.
At 2:30 p.m., she was escorted to a holding cell for further observation after complaining of vomiting, and she was eventually evaluated by medical staff at 4:05 p.m.
Despite seeing black vomit in her cell, instability, weakness and difficulty breathing, staff failed to call 911 or contact medical personnel, the lawsuit states.
When she was evaluated, she scored 17 on the Opioid Withdrawal Scale, above the 8-point threshold requiring buprenorphine, the complaint states According to federal guidelines.
The complaint says Flaherty never received buprenorphine while in custody.
She received medication for pain, nausea and diarrhea as well as Gatorade, the city report said.
Corrections officers later found her lying on the floor of her cell, covered in vomit and too weak to walk, the lawsuit said.
Earlier on April 22, the complaint said Flaherty was asked to take a shower but she was too weak to do so. The report said she “changed her mind” about taking a shower. She was then returned to the holding cell at 6:37 a.m.
Corrections officers later walked past Flaherty’s cell multiple times, where she lay face down and motionless with black liquid spread across the floor, the lawsuit states. Reports say she was only examined at 7:36 a.m.
Jail staff examined her at 8:06 a.m. and paramedics pronounced her dead at 8:43 a.m., according to the complaint and report.
An autopsy cited in the report found that Flaherty died of dehydration and ketoacidosis caused by opioid withdrawal.
The estate filed federal civil rights claims alleging willful indifference to serious medical needs, as well as state claims of negligence and medical malpractice.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial, compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and other relief.
When reached for comment, the City of Kent sent KING 5 the following statement:
The death of a loved one is a tragedy. The City recognizes how painful and difficult this is for Ms. Flaherty’s family and the City offers its sincere condolences. Because the lawsuit is actively pending, the city cannot comment on the specific allegations made in the complaint or the details surrounding Ms. Flaherty’s death.
