JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Families who have lost loved ones in recent law enforcement-related incidents are speaking out, demanding transparency, timely autopsy results, and greater accountability from authorities.
Vanessa Martin, the mother of 32-year-old Rashaud Martin, said her son, who was schizophrenic, died while in the custody of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
She pushed back against narratives she believes misrepresent who he was, saying, “My son was not a villain. He was a very smart, intelligent young man.”
Martin said the family is still waiting for answers surrounding his death.
“We’re still holding onto a temporary death certificate because we don’t know the cause of death; we need autopsy results.”
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Rashaud Martin’s sister, Lucretia Martin, described the loss of her brother and the future she says was taken from him.
“I feel like he was just taken from me. He wasn’t able to live his dreams. He wasn’t able to help other people with schizophrenia like he wanted to.”
The concerns raised by the Martin family echo those of other families who have lost loved ones in recent years. Charles Faggart died in the hospital on April 10, days after being injured while incarcerated in the Duval County Jail.
Following his death, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reassigned nine employees and stripped them of their corrections authority as an internal investigation was launched into the circumstances that led to his injuries.
Reginald Boston was shot and killed by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officers during an undercover operation that also injured another person. Police said Boston and two others were involved in an armed robbery that led to a SWAT investigation. According to the incident report, Boston pointed a gun at officers before he was killed.
A mother who lost their child in Jacksonville expressed the emotional toll the situation has taken on families still waiting for answers.
“How do you think we are doing? We are hurt!” she said.
In another moment, she criticized officials for releasing footage to the media without first meeting with families.
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Yvonne Kemp, the mother of Reginald Boston Jr., said families are often left waiting months for autopsy results and basic information.
“I think they don’t notify the family properly. It should not take no eight or nine months for nobody to get no autopsy to find out what happened to each child.”
Kemp also called for independent oversight.
“So we need a team of trusted civilians to oversee them,” she said.
The families say their demands go beyond their own cases and are aimed at preventing others from experiencing the same pain, uncertainty, and lack of communication. As investigations continue, they said they will keep pushing for transparency, accountability, and justice.
They are calling for faster investigations, clearer communication, and greater involvement of families when critical decisions are made.
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