Michigan prisons leader defends oversight of women’s prison after 3 deaths

The embattled director of the Michigan Department of Corrections is defending conditions inside the state prisons.

Heidi Washington, who is facing calls for removal over treatment of female prisoners, on Thursday wrote a letter to US Rep. Debbie Dingell claiming that her department “has established itself as a national leader” and “prisoner grievances” are common.

“We recognize that prison remains a complicated and at times challenging environment, particularly as many in the population we serve have increasingly complex needs,” Washington wrote.

Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, urged Whitmer to intervene after three women at the facility died within a month of one another.

“No one should be subjected to conditions that threaten their health and well-being,” Dingell wrote. “But for years, there have been alarming reports of the condition of and treatment facing women in custody at the facility.”

In her letter, Dingell requested nearly a dozen pieces of information, including the number of grievances filed by inmates over the past five years, how often the prison is tested for mold, the number of deaths at the facility over the last decade and how those deaths are investigated.

In response, Washington said health care-related grievances filed by inmates have remained flat over the last five years, with 12 in 2021 and six so far this year, about halfway through the year. The number of grievances related to confinement has also remained relatively stable during that time.

The state did not provide the total number of deaths at the facility over the past decade. Instead, officials noted the prison houses a diverse population, including women serving life and other lengthy sentences, as well as those with complex medical needs.

Still, the deaths of Ashley Hoath, 36, Khaira Howard, 28, and Rebecca Fackler, 57, within a month of one another represent an unusually high number for the prison. According to critical incident reports submitted to the Legislature, there were four prisoner deaths at the facility in all of 2025 and three in 2024.

Dingell also asked whether the department has begun investigating the three recent deaths and how it ensures investigations are independent and free from staff influence.

The department said all death investigations are conducted by an experienced investigator from its internal affairs division, who collects evidence, interviews witnesses and works with outside agencies, including the Michigan State Police and medical examiners, when necessary.

“The investigator is experienced and independent of the facility with a focus solely on determining the facts surrounding these unexpected deaths,” Washington wrote.

The department previously confirmed to Bridge Michigan that each death is under investigation and that foul play is not suspected.

“We ask that the public wait for the investigation results to be released, as there appear to be various and at times conflicting public narratives about these cases that may not be supported by the actual evidence,” Washington wrote.

The prison has faced increasing scrutiny in recent months over allegations of toxic mold, inadequate medical care and poor living conditions.

The department has repeatedly denied the presence of dangerous, systemic, black or toxic mold at the facility.

An indoor air quality report conducted by Mold Quest International found that airborne mold concentrations “consistently remained within normal parameters.” The first phase of testing was completed in 2022, while the second phase was conducted in February and March of this year

Three of 243 indoor air samples collected this year showed minor elevations in fungal spore counts, and those readings were “only marginally above the outdoor reference,” according to the report.

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This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.