ATLANTA — Carin Hatchett loved eating strawberry-flavored Starburst candy and coloring pictures of animals and flowers with glitter gel pens. She gave her drawings as gifts to her friends and family, proclaiming her love for them in bubbly handwriting decorated with hearts.
The North Carolina native underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor when she was about 12, leaving her with the mental capacity of a child. She even resembled a young girl, though she was 29.
Because of her vulnerability, Hatchett’s loved ones were stunned when she was moved from the state’s health care system for people with disabilities and into the Clayton County Jail last year. She was arrested on charges stemming from a fight she allegedly had with a caregiver in her home. While behind bars, Hatchett suffered from an infection that triggered a toxic response throughout her body. She was taken to a hospital and succumbed to her illness a few days later.
