FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A woman connected to the death of man “eaten alive” by bed bugs in jail has been sentenced to probation.
Stephanie Cooper entered a negotiated guilty plea under Georgia’s First Offender Act on Monday.
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She was convicted of depriving essential services, cruelty to inmates and two counts of violation of oath of office. Cooper was sentenced to 10 years of probation, and will not serve jail time.
In September 2022, Lashawn Thompson, an inmate at the Fulton County Jail, died three months after being arrested for misdemeanor simple battery.
Graphic images released after Thompson died showed his face, mouth and torso covered with insects. Family members claimed he was “eaten alive” by bed bugs.
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An independent autopsy report noted that Thompson suffered from dehydration, malnutrition, and severe body insect infestation.
In 2023, the Fulton County Commission approved a $4 million settlement for Thompson’s family.
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