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Mecklenburg jail lawsuit says diabetic man lost toes after 13-day detention
A federal lawsuit alleges Aaron Hannon developed severe foot infections while in Mecklenburg County’s detention center in 2024, despite warning staff about his diabetes-related risks. He later had several toes amputated; Sheriff Garry McFadden says the county takes detainees’ health and safety seriously but cannot comment on pending litigation.
A man with diabetes and heart disease had several toes amputated after developing serious foot infections during a 13-day stay at the Mecklenburg County detention center, according to a federal lawsuit filed against the county and jail officials.
The complaint alleges that staff failed to provide Aaron Hannon with adequate medical care, medication and properly fitting footwear after he was booked on April 17, 2024. The charges against him were later dropped, the lawsuit says, after authorities determined he had been protecting a family member.
Hannon told jail medical staff that diabetes had left him at heightened risk of infection and amputation from injuries to his feet, according to the complaint. It says he entered the facility without foot wounds and had routinely checked his feet before his arrest.
The lawsuit alleges staff nevertheless gave him flip-flops several inches too small and said larger footwear was unavailable. Hannon also struggled to obtain his usual medications, and requests for better-fitting shoes went unanswered, the complaint says.
Within days, he developed open wounds that worsened. The lawsuit alleges staff failed to provide appropriate wound treatment and antibiotics and repeatedly denied requests to take him to a hospital. It says Hannon missed 45 doses of his regular medications during his detention.
After his release on April 30, Hannon went to Atrium Health’s Mercy emergency department within hours. Medical records cited in the complaint described advanced infections and a serious condition. Antibiotics did not stop the infections, and doctors later amputated several of his toes, the lawsuit says.
The complaint characterizes the alleged treatment as part of a broader pattern of deliberate indifference to serious medical needs. It identifies itself as at least the eighth civil complaint specifically alleging substandard medical care at the detention center during Sheriff Garry McFadden’s tenure.
McFadden said in a statement that he could not address the specific allegations while the case is pending. He said the sheriff’s office takes responsibility for detainees’ health and safety seriously and works to identify medical needs and coordinate care.
The allegations have not been tested in court. Previous federal lawsuits have also accused the jail of inadequate medical treatment or monitoring, including cases involving deaths in custody; some have been settled.