Groups urge Bexar County to declare jail deaths a public health emergency

Kendra Fernandez during a press conference outside the Bexar County Courthouse on Tuesday. Local advocacy groups held a press conference to release a framework on how they think Bexar County should respond to the number of deaths at the county jail. Three criminal justice reform groups are calling for sweeping changes at the Bexar County jail after the deaths of 92 people in custody in the past six-and-a-half years. The groups released a detailed plan that calls for expanding programs that keep people accused of low-level offenses out of jail.

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Scoop News DeskBexar County · Published Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 2:49 AM UTCUpdated Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 8:23 AM UTC

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The proposals include conducting more mental health and substance-use assessments during booking, expanding cite-and-release policies so police can issue citations instead of making arrests for certain misdemeanors, and opening a diversion center where people could receive treatment instead of going to jail. Leos’ son died at the Bexar County Jail in 2020. All of Us or None Texas, ACT 4 SA, and the Texas Jail Project announced the framework at a news conference Tuesday outside of the Bexar County Courthouse. “The population counts in our county (jail) has to drop,” said Steve Huerta, executive director of All of Us or None Texas. “It is contributing to the loss of life.

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