A death certificate obtained by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting shows that 21-year-old Juan Miguel Munoz Penalver died of dehydration while in custody at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections in February, raising fresh questions about monitoring and care at the troubled facility.

The death certificate lists the cause of death as acute psychosis "due to (or as a consequence of)" dehydration from "willful/self-imposed refusal of hydration, nutrition and medical care." The manner of death is listed as suicide.

Munoz Penalver was found unresponsive around 4:24 a.m. on Feb. 26 during breakfast service, about 12 days after his arrest on assault charges. Records show he had attempted suicide and was placed on suicide watch for 24 hours, followed by staff checks every 30 minutes. But video footage shows he laid down in front of his cell door at 11:15 p.m. on Feb. 25 and did not move again—a span of more than five hours before staff discovered him unresponsive.

"It's a death of dehydration in a first-world country. How can that be?" asked Jon Little, an attorney representing Munoz Penalver's family.

The case represents the latest tragedy at a facility that has seen 23 deaths in custody since 2021, according to the ACLU of Kentucky. Multiple investigations into Louisville's jail operations have documented systemic failures including inadequate staffing, an outdated facility, and poor coordination between medical and corrections staff.

Current conditions remain dire. As of April, LMDC was housing 1,523 people, exceeding its 1,373-person capacity by 150. Metro Corrections Director Jerry Collins acknowledged in March that about 85 sworn positions remain unfilled, forcing officers to work excessive mandatory overtime.

This month, the jail announced plans to terminate its contract with healthcare provider YesCare after the company filed for bankruptcy, marking another provider change as officials seek to improve medical and mental health care at the facility.

Munoz Penalver's family has demanded transparency about his final hours. His stepmother, Ivelipse Munoz, noted that he was "going through one of his episodes" the day he was arrested and questioned why staff failed to conduct the mandated checks on the night he died.

ACLU of Kentucky Executive Director Amber Duke said the death underscores persistent failures despite reform efforts. "Despite new policies, procedures, a new jail director, a new healthcare provider, and new technology at the jail, overcrowding and understaffing continue to put lives at risk at LMDC," Duke said, using the jail's acronym.