Flu Claims Two Montgomery County Jail Inmates

CONROE, TX — Texas’ flu outbreak, which has claimed five lives since November, may have claimed two more this week after two Montgomery County jail inmates who tested positive for flu symptoms, have also died in recent weeks.

Mosheer Rashid, 41, and Carl Bible, 35, were both inmates at the Montgomery County Jail when both complained to jail staff of flu-like symptoms.

According to a press release from Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson, Rashid was arrested on Sept. 27 on a warrant.

On Dec. 8, Rashid complained to jail staff of feeling ill and was sent to the infirmary, where he was given medications.

On Dec. 11, Rashid went to the infirmary several times throughout the day. By evening, officials decided he needed to be seen at Conroe Regional Medical Center for evaluation and treatment. He was released on his own recognizance while under a doctor’s care at Conroe Regional Medical Center.

Rashid was found to be suffering from the influenza A strain and died a week after being admitted to the hospital. Bible, however, reportedly suffered from numerous health issues and told jail officials about this when he was brought into the jail, Henderson said in his press release.

Bible was booked into the Montgomery County Jail Dec. 21, three days after Rashid died, and began experiencing flu-like several days later. He went to see medical personnel in the jail several times between Dec. 23 and Dec. 25. On Christmas Day, Bible was taken to Conroe Regional Medical Center. He was moved to ICU Jan. 4 and died the next day.

Since Bible was in custody, his death is under investigation by Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Jail Administration, Homicide and Violent Crimes Detectives and the Texas Rangers. The investigations are ongoing.

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