Family of woman who died in San Francisco County Jail continues to seek answers 2 months later
SAN FRANCISCO – A young woman's family continues to demand answers about how she died in custody.
On Sept. 3, 22-year-old Aamonte Hadley was found unresponsive in the San Francisco County Jail.
More than two months later, her family held a candlelight vigil to continue to call for justice ahead of her 23rd birthday later this month.
Her aunt and mother spoke with CBS Bay Area at a candlelight vigil where they continued to call for justice.
"We're trying to pick up the pieces but there are no pieces to pick up," said her aunt, Keisha Hadley.
Hadley had spent nearly two years in a San Francisco County Jail cell, awaiting trial before she was found dead.
"We have no idea what happened," said Keisha Hadley. "Just getting a call and saying she was unresponsive, we don't know. We have no clue. Aamonte was a bright, fun, goofy, loving person. She was very helpful, very kind, very generous. and her life was just cut so short, so fast for no reason."
Hadley would have turned 23 on Thanksgiving day.
She was arrested in September of 2022 and charged with several felonies in connection to a series of armed robberies.
Her aunt says she had no previous offenses and doesn't understand why she was awaiting trial for so long.
"I don't understand why the bail was taken off the table, we don't understand that, we don't know," questioned Keisha Hadley.
A previous statement from District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Hadley was detained pre-trial because she posed a potential public safety risk.
Hadley's family had advocated for her to be moved to a mental health facility because of some mental health challenges, in the same statement Jenkins said it wasn't warranted in this case.
Hadley's mother, Aimika Blockman, struggled to make it out to the vigil.
"I don't want to be out here, that's what it's like," said Blockman about attending the vigil. "I don't want to be out here."
For Blockman, every day is a challenge now that her daughter is gone.
"Not good at all," said Blockman about how she's doing. "I got out of bed today at 2 o'clock. I haven't been to work since the day after. I try to stay busy."
She says not knowing what happens makes each day even harder.
The San Francisco Police Department of Accountability, Medical Examiner's Office and Sheriff's Office are investigating Hadley's death.
The family says they have not received any details about what happened yet. Still, they are supporting one another through it.
"Every day is a heartbreak, every day is a heartache wondering, trying to figure out," said Kiesha.
The family is planning to continue to fight for Hadley, and they say they're already considering a second autopsy.
CBS Bay Area reached out to San Francisco Police, the Medical Examiner's Office, and the Sheriff's Office for an update on the case. We have not heard back yet.
