Memphis family, TBI look for answers after man dies in custody

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A Memphis family is looking for answers after a man died in custody and now the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is joining in the search.

Derrick Smalls was arrested at the Memphis International Airport on May 28. Police said Smalls was trying to break into a car at the airport when he was taken into custody. Lacking identification, he was booked into the jail at 201 Poplar under the name "Sam Doe." A week later, his wife got a call.

"A TBI investigator called me on June 4 and was like 'Do you know Derrick Smalls?' and I'm like, 'Yes sir. That's my husband,'" Shequita Smalls told FOX13.

Shequita Smalls was shocked to learn that her husband had been arrested. She said Derrick Smalls was a family man with four children and had never been in trouble with the law.

"Derrick has never been in any legal trouble. A ticket at the most, but he's never been in jail," Shequita Smalls told FOX13.

Two days after Derrick Smalls was booked into the Shelby County Jail, he was set to be released with his charges dropped due to a defective warrant, but he became combative with guards on the night of May 30 and then become unresponsive, according to medical records.

Still unidentified, Small was taken to Regional One Health and then transferred to a Methodist hospital on May 31. Hospital records show that he had acute encephalopathy, a brain disease with symptoms like personality changes, confusion and memory loss. Records also show that he developed a kidney injury that required dialysis as well as sepsis and suspected meningitis.

Shequita Smalls was shocked when she finally saw him at the hospital.

"She was just like, 'I just don't know how to tell you this, but he's in multi-organ, liver, multiple organ failure and it's not looking good. We're doing all we can, but no matter what we do, he's not coming around,'" Shequita Smalls said.

Derrick Smalls died on June 10. Medical records show no indication of injuries to the head, neck, face or body. His wife was left wondering how this could've happened.

"That was our provider. That was our strength, our protection ... (His children) have a life ahead of them and they have to every day live without their father being here," Shequita Smalls said.