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April 18, 2025

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** Nursing Director Charged For 2018 Jail Death of Hardel Sherrell
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Six and a half years after the torturous jail death of Hardel Sherrell ([link removed]) , charges have been filed against Michelle Skroch, the director of nursing who was in charge of Sherrell’s care at Beltrami County Jail. Skroch was charged with second degree manslaughter and two felony counts of criminal neglect, marking a “historic moment” in Minnesota as Skroch is the first medical provider in the state charged with an inmate’s death.
Nursing Director Charged For 2018 Jail Death of Hardel Sherrell ([link removed])

Despite being charged with three felonies, Skroch remains free without having to post bail after her first court appearance on April 11 and has her next court appearance scheduled for May 12.
Nurse Charged With Inmate’s Death Remains Free Between Court Appearances ([link removed])

Sherrell, a Black 27-year-old father of three, died in September 2018 on the floor of a Beltrami County Jail cell due to complications from an undiagnosed case of Guillain-Barré syndrome ([link removed]) as nurses declined to treat him and claimed he was faking.

Skroch’s charges stem from her work with the now-bankrupt and shuttered MEnD Correctional Care, which provided healthcare to over 9,600 inmates across multiple states in the Midwest. Skroch was romantically involved with MEnD’s founder, Dr. Todd Leonard, who is nicknamed ‘Dr. Death’ for his role in overseeing the death of more than two dozen inmates ([link removed]) over a six year period.

A few days after the charges were announced, Sherrell’s family and legal team held a press conference. See the video below.
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Nurse Charged for 2018 In-Custody Death of Hardel Sherrell [2025] Vimeo ([link removed]) | YouTube ([link removed])

Hardel Sherrell’s torturous death from eight days of medical neglect was first published by Unicorn Riot ([link removed]) . Sherrell’s mother Del Shea Perry has spent the last seven years fighting for accountability for her son’s death and pushing for change within the state’s jails and prisons.

In 2021, the Hardel Sherrell Act ([link removed]) was passed at the Minnesota Legislature to give the MN Department of Corrections greater oversight of county jails, especially over medical care. In 2022, MEnD Correctional Care was forced to close after going bankrupt. The next year, Beltrami County and MEnD Correctional Care were ordered to pay $2.6 million to Sherrell’s family. Her story is featured in the film MAMA! ([link removed]) . Also featured are the mothers of Daunte Wright and Kobe Heisler along with footage by Unicorn Riot.
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Mother Speaks on Son's Death in Jail [2019] Vimeo ([link removed]) | YouTube ([link removed])
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