TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — Lamonica Bratton always thought her children would outlive her.
Despite dealing with so much grief about her daughter's death on Monday, which has resulted in little to no sleep, Lamonica shared the emotional impact it's having on her and her family. They are in the middle of planning her funeral.
"I always said I'm not going to bury my kids," Bratton said.
On May 16, her daughter Chasity Bonner was booked in the Tarrant County Jail for theft. It involves a case investigated by the North Richland Hills Police Department which obtained a warrant for her arrest.
Her mother talked about always fearing her daughter being hurt because of some of the trouble she got into on occasion. But on Monday, she got a heartbreaking call from the jail saying she knew right away it was bad news.
"My heart dropped because it was a call I never, ever wanted to get. That was the call I thought I would get when my baby was out here in the streets," said Bratton.
WFAA requested an interview with Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn about Chasity Bonner's death.
However, Waybourn explained he could not comment further while is being reviewed and investigated by Tarrant County Sheriff's Office jail staff, the TCSO Criminal Investigations Division, an outside law enforcement agency, JPS Medical Staff, The Texas Commission on Jail Standards, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office and the Texas Attorney General's Office.
According to a news release, Bonner was examined in the medical area around 9:15 a.m., refused treatment, and requested to go back to her cell. Then, just before 11 a.m., detention officers found Bonner unresponsive. John Peter Smith Hospital medical staff began life-saving measures and administered Narcan to Bonner twice. MedStar arrived and transported her to JPS where she was pronounced deceased.
"What happened to my child?" Bratton said, "Only health problems she had with high blood pressure."
The grieving mother is surrounded by family including her sister Pamela Taylor and grandchildren. They too are on a mission to get answers about Bonner's death.
"One of the main questions that we have is where did Chastity pass away? Those answers haven't really been given to us," said Taylor, "Was she treated, how was she treated? What type of medical treatment did she receive at Tarrant County jail? What type of medical treatment did she receive at JP's? We haven't been given any of those answers."
Bratton wants everyone to know about her daughter's in-custody death. She has a message about justice written on her house windows and her car.
"I'm going to drive for my baby until I get what is deserved," said Bratton.
She is not alone in her call for answers and accountability. Thursday afternoon more than a dozen demonstrators from local activist groups marched to the Tarrant County Jail. Their demonstration started at Fort Worth City Hall downtown and ended at the jail where they eventually went inside the lobby and started chanting.
Liz Badgley serves as the secretary for the group called United My Justice. They have held public rallies, including after the in-custody death of Anthony Johnson who was incarcerated at the Tarrant County Jail.
"Today, we met in solidarity for accountability to march for Anthony Johnson and Chasity Bonner and the other inmates," Liz Badgley said.
Teena James is the founder and President of "Safe in the Six". Her organization is a grassroots effort to improve the quality of life in the community of Fort Worth known as the Stop Six area.
Teena James is not only concerned about the more than 60 Tarrant County Jail In-custody deaths, but also by some of the trends she claims to have researched like the ethnicities involved and the lack of calls for accountability by some city, county, and state leaders.
"It screams problems within our system," said Teena James, "This is not the Fort Worth way anymore. it should be changed."
Lamonica Bratton pushed through tears to explain how much her daughter will be missed as a mother, aunt, sister, mother, and grandmother. The family has started a GoFundMe to help pay for her memorial services. They plan to honor her with a balloon release on May 31 - which would have been her 36th birthday.