A family is suing Washington County and its jail staff members. His federal lawsuit alleges red flags were ignored before the inmate killed himself.
Nathan Rosas, 28, died last fall, sparking outrage from his parents. They said their son should not be moved to the general population area of the Washington County jail.
Although prison staff documented concerns about Nathan’s mental health, prison records show he had taken his own life a week before his death.
Sean and Michelle Rosas knew their son struggled with his mental health.
WATCH: Family sues Washington Co after son dies by suicide in prison despite mental health warning
Family sues Washington Co after son dies by suicide in jail despite mental health warnings
“When he got out of the Navy, I think that’s when Michelle and I really noticed a change,” said Sean.
Provided by the Rosas family
They never had a chance to say goodbye when they lived in distant countries.
“I couldn’t be there holding his hand as he was dying. I couldn’t get there in time,” said Michelle. “As a mother, I am angry at the way my child is being treated.”
Nathan’s parents consider the timeline leading up to his death to be terrifying.
“If these people had done their job, Nathan wouldn’t have died,” Michelle said.
Court records show that Nathan was placed in a mental health institution on September 17, 2025, after asking Grafton police to take his own life. He was released, but 10 days later, he was arrested and charged with battery in an incident involving his roommate.
When screened at the jail on September 27, records show Nathan “confirmed that he continues to struggle with suicidal thoughts.” An officer wrote that Nathan “appears to be very mentally unstable”.
Prison documents show that Nathan was placed on suicide watch. Three days later, prison counselors recommended keeping him there.
The next day, on October 1, court documents say he was pulled out of the suicide watch because he denied having “a ‘specific’ suicide plan”. On October 7, Nathan died by suicide.
“I guess I can’t understand how professionals who are supposed to be trained to be aware of this and keep people safe – I don’t understand how they can ignore this,” Michelle said.
Civil rights attorney Oliver Nelson is representing Sean and Michelle.
“I’ve never seen a case like this where the cries for help were so intense, and so consistent, and so disturbing,” Nelson said.
Provided by the Rosas family
The lawsuit alleges Washington County jail staff did not follow department policy, causing the wrongful death. Nelson said a policy prohibits staff from booking prisoners to the jail “who show obvious signs of mental illness.” Instead, court documents show they must be treated at a medical or mental health facility first.
The second policy requires suicidal prisoners to be placed under “intensive supervision.”
“The system failed Nathan, and we want the system to change so that no other parent has to go through what we went through,” Michelle said.
Washington County declined TMJ4’s interview request, saying it does not comment on pending lawsuits.
This story was reported on air by investigative reporter Ben Jordan and has been converted to this platform with the help of AI. Our editorial team reviews all reports on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Let’s talk:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our readers and covering the things that matter most to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to talk about this piece? Contact us using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, go to tmj4.com/tips.
It’s time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip
#furious #Family #sues #Washington #son #dies #suicide #prison #mental #health #warning