The case centers on what help Michael Turner Jr. received — and when — inside the jail.
GRANBURY, Texas — The daughter of Michael Turner Jr. is asking Hood County officials for a fuller account of her father’s final hours after a grand jury indicted jail nurse Rachel Sanders Miller in his April 2023 death. Investigators say Miller failed to seek medical care when Turner was in distress.
For Sara Youngblood, the case is personal and recent. She said she barely knew her father most of her life. That changed when Turner moved to Granbury early last year and met his grandchildren. Youngblood said she urged him to clear an out-of-state parole issue, and he later entered custody at the Hood County Jail. Weeks later, he was gone. The indictment announced this fall focuses on alleged inaction at a crucial moment, but Youngblood said her family still does not have a minute-by-minute timeline or an explanation for why help did not come sooner.
Youngblood described the last conversation she had with Turner, saying they made ordinary plans after years apart. “I had been dying to meet him literally my whole life,” she said. “He met my kids, those were his grandbabies.” On the morning of the medical emergency, detention staff called paramedics to the jail. Investigators later alleged that the on-duty nurse, Miller, did not take reasonable steps to obtain care after being told Turner needed it. Authorities have not publicly detailed how long Turner waited, what symptoms he reported, or whether he received medication in the hours before EMS arrived.
County officials have kept most records sealed during the criminal case. The sheriff’s office has not discussed internal reviews or whether any policy changes followed Turner’s death. The Texas Rangers, who led the probe, have declined to comment beyond confirming the indictment. Advocates say transparency often lags in custody death cases until discovery forces the release of logs, videos, and call records. In the meantime, questions pile up for families: where staff were posted, who first noticed the crisis, and how often checks were recorded in Turner’s housing area that morning.
Neighbors left small bouquets near the jail entrance after news of the indictment. A retired nurse who lives nearby said she wants to see the medical chart. “You look for vitals, timing, escalation, and what you did next,” she said. A former detention officer described midnight shifts when a single nurse covered multiple pods. “If somebody says they’re in trouble, you err on the side of calling the ambulance,” he said. Residents also spoke about the town’s rapid growth and the strain it places on public services, including the jail’s medical unit and local EMS.
Court records show the indictment was returned in November 2025. Prosecutors have not set a trial date. The next steps include arraignment and pretrial hearings, where a judge could decide what records become public. Discovery is expected to include medical notes, surveillance video from the jail’s hallways and medical room, radio and 911 traffic, and EMS run sheets. If the case reaches trial, jurors will weigh whether the nurse’s actions — or lack of action — meet the legal standard for criminal negligence.
Youngblood said the process is difficult, but clarity matters. “He needed help and nobody helped him,” she said. As of Tuesday, investigators had not released a full narrative of the incident. A court scheduling order is expected soon, which will set the first hearing date.
Author note: Last updated December 2, 2025.