Waller County family seeks answers after mother's health decline following jail release
Family wants answers on mom's health decline
A Waller County family is searching for answers after their mother was released from the local jail. They say she was healthy when she was booked but new medical records show she suffered a stroke and is having mental episodes. They've yet to get details from the jail on what happened while she was there. FOX 26's Sherman Desselle has more after speaking with her son.
WALLER COUNTY, Texas - One family is seeking answers after their mother, 57-year-old Aldonia Johnson, was released from custody in what they describe as a severely deteriorated state.
Johnson, who had been in jail for four months, was reportedly healthy when initially booked, but new medical records reveal that she suffered a stroke and is experiencing mental episodes.
Bruce Ray, Johnson's son, spoke exclusively with Fox 26's Sherman Desselle about the distressing ordeal. Court records show Johnson was arrested July 18 on charges of assault of a peace officer, resisting arrest, and assault of a family member following a family dispute.
Photo of 57-year-old Aldonia Johnson, a Waller County woman was who arrested July 2023.
Ray and his family regularly visited Johnson in jail and began noticing alarming changes, including significant weight loss. Concerned for her well-being, they sought answers from the jail but say they were met with a lack of information about her deteriorating condition.
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"Then we also notice that she's not even trying to reach out to us," said Ray. "She's going to always call us."
Bruce tells FOX 26 the family, at one point, was denied visitation - he was told by the jail she had been moved to a different part of the facility to be "observed," and her condition wasn't stable enough for visitors. Family members were eventually granted the visit and were shocked at her condition. They said she had lost over 100 pounds, was vomiting, and could barely walk or talk.
"My grandmother had to leave, she couldn't take it," said Ray. "The jailers are telling my sister that my mom has to ask for help. But at the stage she's in - how can she ask for help? She doesn't even know what's going on."
Bruce Ray, the son of Aldonia Johnson, posted to Facebook about his concerns Nov. 15. His mother was released the following day.
In a Facebook post dated Nov. 15, Ray detailed his mother's deteriorating health, which was shared over 160 times. Johnson was released the following day, but she was in no condition to return home. Video footage from her release showed her unable to communicate and exhibiting excessive movements.
Hospital records indicate that Johnson experienced a cerebrovascular accident, commonly known as an ischemic stroke. Despite her history of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance abuse issues, Ray emphasizes that his mother's health had never declined to such an extent before.
Medical records show Johnson suffered a stroke prior to the Nov. 16 hospital visit. Family members tell Fox 26 she had never shown symptoms of a stroke before and was not given a CT scan during her time in jail.
The family is also raising concerns about the handling of Johnson's charges. Although Ray was informed that she was on a parole hold until her release, online records show that her charges were dropped on Sept. 22. Ray didn't know they were dismissed until we showed them to him online.
"It doesn't just stop since my mom came home. The fight is far from over," Ray stated. "I want answers, but I also want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else in that jail."
Aldonia Johnson is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital. FOX 26 has sent requests to officials in Waller County and waiting to hear back from them.