Families Demand Investigation After Multiple Deaths at Michigan Women’s Prison

Since mid-May, five women have died at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility, the state’s only women’s prison. The most recent death, Dasie Forbes, occurred while she was in palliative care; the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) classified her death as “expected” and declined an autopsy. Earlier deaths this year include Ashley Hoath, whose county medical examiner ruled the death a suicide, and Khaira Howard, who died days before a scheduled parole release. Families allege that inadequate medical care and environmental hazards, such as toxic mold, contributed to the fatalities.

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MDOC statistics show six deaths per year in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and five deaths in 2022. The recurrence of fatalities has prompted advocates to question the quality of health services at the facility. In February, a Michigan House Oversight Committee hearing highlighted the case of Krystal Clark, who reportedly exhibited visible mold growth in her ears, facial droop, and severe arm swelling while incarcerated.

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The department also released an independent environmental test from a private contractor, concluding the prison does not have dangerous systemic black or toxic mold conditions.

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Family members and advocacy groups, led by the Washtenaw General Defense Committee, have staged protests outside MDOC headquarters, chanting “Shame” and “Blood on your hands.” They call for the release of Krystal Clark and all severely ill inmates, and for a comprehensive investigation into prison conditions. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell and state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky have joined the appeals for answers from Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

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• “At the end of the day, I didn’t even recognize my own child,” — Izora Clark

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• “If you commit a crime and they put you somewhere to be punished, let that person do their time and come home. That’s the way I feel,” — Izora Clark

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• “She walked into the facility and she didn’t walk out,” — Don Howard

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These statements underscore the personal anguish driving the call for accountability at Women’s Huron Valley.

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