Elizabeth Flickinger, 28, Died Following Medical Emergency at Tehama County Jail in Red Bluff
RED BLUFF, CALIFORNIA (June 10, 2026) – A 28-year-old woman identified as Elizabeth Flickinger has tragically died following some type of medical emergency at the Tehama County Jail in Red Bluff.
Tehama County officials are saying that the incident took place on May 29. Correctional officers noticed that Elizabeth Flickinger was unresponsive during some type of routine security check.
Jail staff began medical efforts to revive the woman. Paramedics were also called to the scene. Elizabeth Flickinger was transported to a local area hospital to receive additional care.
Sadly, she was later pronounced dead at the hospital. A full autopsy has been scheduled by the coroner’s office.
Liability for Tehama County Inmate Deaths
When jails restrict the freedom of a person through incarceration, certain constitutional standards must apply. Among other things, every inmate has a constitutional right to due process and equal protection under the law. This necessitates that all inmates receive adequate medical care and humane treatment for any conditions that they may have. There are a number of different ways that a jail may fail to properly take care of an inmate in their custody.
- Health Evaluation: A jail may fail to provide an inmate with a routine wellness check to ensure that they are medically cleared to be incarcerated.
- Wellness Checks: A jail may fail to provide an inmate with sufficient wellness checks to ensure that they are alright.
- Medications: A jail may fail to provide an inmate with all of the medications that they require.
- Emergency Care: A jail may fail to provide an inmate with the emergency care that they need after being notified that the inmate had a serious health condition.
Not every death in a jail setting will rise to the level of a constitutional violation. What matters is whether or not jail officials acted with deliberate indifference in their care for an inmate. When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate in their custody, this could serve as evidence of negligence. Liability for any inmate death could extend to several different parties. This includes a private medical company responsible for the care of inmates in a particular jail.
Steps to Take After Tehama County Inmate Deaths
Far too many people are dying every year in jails and prisons across California. According to Cal Matters, “People are dying in custody at record rates across California. They’re dying in big jails and small jails, in red counties and blue counties, in rural holding cells and downtown mega-complexes. They’re dying from suicide, drug overdoses and the catch-all term natural causes. The number of jail deaths is up even though the number of people in jail is down.” It is important that certain actions are taken after any in-custody death.
- The history of inmate deaths at the facility in questions should be studied.
- It should be determined if the jail where the death took place has been a subject of lawsuits or other civil rights claims.
- Any medical records related to the person’s stay should be collected and reviewed. This includes any autopsy report that is created.
- The family of any inmate who died in custody should consider their legal options with a team experienced in constitutional law.
Inmate deaths are often highly preventable. They tend to involve situations where jails are not properly monitoring or caring for any specific inmate in their stay. Jails are often quick to claim that any specific death that takes place in their custody was “natural.” But the fact of the matter is that many of these supposedly natural depths actually involve some amount of medical neglect. When an inmate dies in custody, their surviving family members are able to seek some measure of transparency and accountability through a civil claim.
Investigating Tehama County Inmate Deaths
We at Carrazco Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Elizabeth Flickinger. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. The sheer number of young people who have died in custody across California jails in recent years remains deeply concerning.
Do you need more information about a Tehama County inmate death? Our team of civil rights advocates is here for you. We care deeply that all people are aware of their civil rights and that law enforcement agencies are held fully accountable for their misconduct. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into the unique facts of any case, we’re here to serve your needs. You can reach out to us anytime at (800) 541-3244.
