A state inmate who fell ill at a Shelby County halfway house and later died may have been under the influence of a dangerous street drug that has grown in popularity over the past several years.
Christopher Turner, a 38-year-old man serving time for theft of property out of Madison County, died Tuesday at Shelby Baptist Medical Center. Turner was being housed as the Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility, along with roughly 299 other state inmates, according to Alabama Department of Corrections spokesman Bob Horton.
Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans said Tuesday that Turner was one of 10 inmates who became ill after they were exposed to a substance. The "exposure" reportedly happened between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the Columbiana facility.
Evans on Wednesday said one of the inmates reported that the substance was flakka, also known as gravel (because of its rock-like appearance) or flocka on the streets. Horton said he had not been made aware of the possibility of flakka being involved.
Flakka is a synthetic drug, somewhat of a newer version of bath salts. It delivers an instant high that can last from several hours to sever days.
Experts say the drug causes psychiatric, physical and cardiac reactions. The psychiatric symptoms include hallucinations, anxiety, and paranoia that can cause extreme aggression and violent behavior, said Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force Commander Lt. Clay Hammac. The task force is not involved in the investigation into the inmate's death.
Physical reactions to the drug include a rise in body temperature and dehydration that can cause muscle breakdown and kidney failure. Cardiac complications can include a rapid heart rate and high blood pressure that can cause a stroke, heart attack or death.
Flakka is often mixed with tobacco and marijuana and then smoked. "It's highly potent,'' Hammac said.
He said his investigators have seen some flakka on the streets but, according to their informants, it's most popular in prisons because it's easy to conceal and easy to ingest.
"It is a jailhouse drug,'' Hammac said. "It's dangerous stuff and it can be fatal."
Evans said Wednesday Turner's autopsy is complete, but the cause of death has not yet been determined pending toxicology testing.
ADOC's Horton said they can't confirm the report that flakka may have been ingested. The agency's Investigations and Intelligence Division is investigating the circumstances surrounding the inmate's death.
The other inmates who became ill have since been returned to the Alabama Department of Corrections, he said, where they are undergoing questioning about the incident.
The Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility is a privately-owned residential facility that provides behavioral, vocational, and educational services to eligible inmates before their release.