A harrowing case of alleged medical neglect has emerged from the Eastern District of Louisiana, where a man claims he suffered severe health consequences due to deliberate indifference to his medical needs while incarcerated. Daniel Fontenot filed a civil rights complaint on November 25, 2025, against CorrectHealth St. Tammany, LLC, and several healthcare professionals associated with the St. Tammany Parish Jail.
Fontenot’s lawsuit paints a grim picture of his experience following his arrest on August 31, 2024. After being detained in Slidell, Louisiana, Fontenot was transported to the St. Tammany Parish Jail (STPJ) with a bag containing his prescription medications, including Xanax—a benzodiazepine crucial for managing his anxiety disorder. Despite informing jail staff about his long-term Xanax prescription and the potential for severe withdrawal symptoms without it, Fontenot alleges that he was denied access to the medication or any substitute.
The complaint accuses several individuals—RN Michelle Coyne, LPN Kayla Watkins, RN Brittney Boihem, NP Kenneth Pitcher, Dr. Samuel Gore, LPN Brenda Albarado, and LPN Nicole Coleman—of failing to address Fontenot’s urgent medical needs. The document describes how these defendants allegedly ignored or dismissed repeated warnings about the dangers of abrupt Xanax withdrawal. “Seizures are a well-known… potentially life-threatening side effect,” states the complaint.
Fontenot’s ordeal escalated when he suffered multiple seizures due to withdrawal while in custody—first at the jail and subsequently during transport to and treatment at a hospital. These incidents resulted in significant injuries including a concussion and lacerations requiring staples. The lawsuit argues that these events were preventable had there been appropriate medical intervention.
The legal action seeks compensatory and punitive damages for what Fontenot describes as “outrageous conduct” by CorrectHealth St. Tammany and its employees. He also requests coverage for medical expenses incurred due to their alleged negligence and violation of his Fourteenth Amendment rights under U.S.C §1983.
Representing Fontenot is attorney Gary W. Bizal from New Orleans. The case is filed under Case ID 2:25-cv-02394 in front of judges from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Source: 225cv2394_Daniel_Fontenot_v_Correcthealth_Complaint_Eastern_District_of_Louisiana.pdf
