Family holds protest after 24-year-old dies in El Paso County Jail; ninth inmate death this year

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Sunday evening, a group gathered outside the El Paso County Jail to protest the death of 24-year-old Savannah Poppell.

Poppell died in the jail Dec. 11, just four days after entering. Her family is calling for reform and more rehabilitation resources for patients, as Savannah's death marks the ninth inmate death this year.

"She was not innocent, but she didn't deserve to go through that pain and like, I just don't get it," said Savannah's mother Nicole Poppell.

Court records show Poppell was booked into the jail after failing to appear in court on a misdemeanor drug charge.

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office says Poppell likely died of internal bleeding due to vomiting from substance withdrawal.

Now her family is questioning why Savannah is the latest on the list of inmates that have died in this jail.

"No treatment, no love, there's no heart in any of this," said Nicole.

We reached out to the Sheriff's office late Friday afternoon for comment, but are still waiting for a response.