Family seeks answers to what happened to 20-year-old in prison that left him brain dead

Christopher Ayala

A local family said they have received no answers as to how 20-year-old Christopher Ayala died less than 24 hours after he was booked into the Hamilton County Jail.

The family is also seeking answers as to why the charges against him were abruptly dismissed in court the day after he was taken from jail to Erlanger Hospital.

Attorney Neal Pinkston, who represents the Ayala family, said Christopher Ayala is considered brain dead and is not expected to live long.

Attorney Pinkston has written letters to District Attorney Coty Wamp and Sheriff Austin Garrett asking for answers.

The letter to DA Wamp states:

“I represent the family of Christopher Ayala. On April 27, 2024, Christopher Ayala was arrested by HCSO Deputy Cody Widdows #3226 for improper use of the 911 system.

Less than 24 hours after his arrest, Ayala was taken to Erlanger Hospital while incarcerated at the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center.

The Ayala family was never told what happened to Christopher while he was in HCSO custody. His doctors have told the family that he is brain dead and does not have long to live.

While he was not arrested until April 27, 2024, Christopher’s case appeared in Hamilton County General Sessions Court on April 29, 2024 under case number: 1945085. The case was subsequently dismissed by your office. The Ayala family was never informed why Christopher’s case suddenly appeared on the docket or why it was abruptly dismissed.

On behalf of the family, we would like to know why his case was handled in such a strange procedural manner.

More importantly, we request that you designate an independent law enforcement agency other than HCSO to investigate the arrest, detention and hospitalization of Christopher Ayala. I look forward to your prompt response to my correspondence.

Letter to Sheriff Garrett:

I represent the family of Christopher Ayala. HCSO Deputy Cody Widdows, Badge #3226, arrested Christopher Ayala (DOB: 6/5/2001) for improper use of the 911 emergency system. While incarcerated at the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center, something happened to Christopher that required his transport to Erlanger Hospital made necessary. His family was never informed by your department that he had suffered a medical incident or that he required immediate medical attention. After being informed by Erlanger management that Christopher was a patient there, Christopher’s father called the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center several times to obtain important information about what had happened to his son. An HCSO official said Christopher was never taken to jail and had no idea of ​​his whereabouts. Currently, Christopher is declared brain dead and it appears he doesn’t have long to live. I ask that your department preserve the following potential evidence, including but not limited to:

1. All bodycam and dashcam footage from all officers on scene during the arrest of Christopher Ayala and his subsequent transport to the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center;

2. All documents relating to the arrest and detention of Christopher Ayala in the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center;

3. A detailed list of the names and badge numbers of all HCSO officers and civilian HCSO personnel who interacted with Christopher Ayala from the time of his arrest until his hospitalization;

4. All documents relating to the time of Christopher Ayala’s arrest, the time of his presentation to the Hamilton County Jail, the time that HCSO learned he required immediate medical attention, the time that EMS was requested, Christopher to Erlanger Hospital and the time Christopher left the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center;

5. All videos from the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center showing Christopher Ayala’s time in and out of custody until his release for transport to Erlanger Hospital.

I know from personal experience that HCSO has suffered catastrophic data loss of videos and other materials in the past. Such catastrophic data loss is the subject of a current federal lawsuit pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. A federal judge and a U.S. District Court judge have issued separate rulings on the catastrophic data loss. I sincerely hope that you take this retention request seriously and that it will be treated with due respect and by the most competent people to prevent data loss.

In another strange twist, less than forty-eight (48) hours after his arrest, Christopher’s case was filed in Hamilton County General Sessions Court under case number 1945085 and then dismissed by the Hamilton County Attorney General’s Office. Therefore, I request that your department maintain all communication by text message, phone call, in-person communication, or email correspondence with the Attorney General’s Office, District Attorney General, District Assistant Attorneys General, or other employees of the District Attorney’s Office regarding the dismissal of this case file and their subsequent dismissal. I look forward to your prompt response to my correspondence. In addition to your office, I will also be sending copies of this correspondence to the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office and Hamilton County Commission Chairman Jeff Eversole.