The mother of a man who died while incarcerated at South Central Correctional Center in January of 2023 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. Alan Lancaster was 39 tears old at the time of his death. A total of 18 inmates died at the facility in Licking, Missouri in 2023. Last year, the Missouri Department of Corrections reported 19 inmate deaths.
Last January, SCCC Warden Michele Buckner, who oversaw the prison during the rash of inmate deaths, was removed from her post. Major Robert Hopping, who was a top supervisor in the prison, was also removed from the prison.
Non-profit group Missouri Prison Reform says an investigation was initiated after an employee hotline call was made from inside the facility, reporting contraband and other safety concerns. Missouri Prison Reform executive director, Lori Curry, stated at the time of Buckner’s dismissal, “Everyone that I hear from, including current staff, former staff, and people who live there say that it is overrun with drugs and other contraband, that there is a lack of order, there’s a lack of policy being followed, it’s basically the Wild West in there.”
The last report of an inmate death reported to Ozark Radio News was January 13. The family of 34-year-old Blake Selby contacted Ozark Radio News, saying he had been removed from life support. Selby’s death was announced by SCCC two days later.
