The death of a Texas woman who was found dead in her cell after allegedly hanging herself with a plastic bag is being investigated as a murder, a district attorney said.
Sandra Bland was found dead inside the Waller County Jail after being incarcerated after allegedly assaulting an officer during a July 10 traffic stop. The initial determination of suicide was extremely problematic as Bland had plenty to live for, according to friends and family.
"Based on the Sandy I knew, this is unfathomable to me," Sharon Cooper, one of Bland's sisters, told reporters in Chicago. "People who knew her, truly knew her, the depth of her, that's unfathomable right now."
The Texas Rangers and the FBI are investigating the death as a potential homicide.
"It is very much too early to make any kind of determination that this was a suicide or a murder because the investigations are not complete," Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis said. "This is being treated like a murder investigation."
"There are too many questions that still need to be resolved. Ms. Bland's family does make valid points that she did have a lot of things going on in her life that were good," Mathis said after announcing that the case will go to a grand jury.
Source: cnn
