Shocking new details reveal missing jail records, eyewitness accounts from family members, and a disturbing pattern of inmate neglect and unexplained deaths at Cleveland County Detention Center. The family calls for an immediate federal investigation.
Shelby, NC – July 2025
The death of Monica Danielle Smith Wills, 41, while in custody at the Cleveland County Detention Center, continues to ignite outrage as disturbing new findings emerge—including a police report that omits her name entirely, lists only one male officer for the arrest of three women, and raises more questions than it answers.
The case, which began on June 20, has evolved from a tragic jailhouse death into what the family now calls a “systemic cover-up,” involving incomplete records, withheld medical care, and suppressed testimony.
June 20: Three Women, One Gummy—and Silence
Monica, her mother Jane, and their friend Crystal stopped at a vape shop while driving through North Carolina. After receiving and consuming gummies from a store clerk, they began feeling disoriented and pulled over.
That’s when everything changed. Jane recalls the last thing she saw before blacking out: a police officer standing at the car and her own words, “Please don’t take us to jail.”
Unconscious for Over a Day—and Then Jail
According to family accounts, all three women were unconscious for 24 to 36 hours. They have no memory of being transported. Both Monica and Crystal were reportedly administered Narcan twice, despite no known opioid use—a medical move they say was unnecessary and dangerous.
When they finally woke up, it was in jail cells—with cotton and puncture marks in their arms. Neither Jane nor Crystal remembers any hospital visit, yet both received medical bills for services rendered.
Police Report Raises Alarm Bells
The public incident report from the Kings Mountain Police Department, labeled Incident #2025-01887, now adds fuel to the fire:
- None of the women’s names are listed in the report.
- The arrest was conducted by one male patrol officer, M.J. Howard—no female officer is listed, a violation of protocol when arresting women.
- The report’s location (602 Ford St, Kings Mountain) is a residential area, not a traffic stop location—and inconsistent with the family’s recollection.
- The form is incomplete, with key fields left blank and no mention of medical transport, Narcan, or jail processing.
“This isn’t just a mistake,” one relative said. “This is a paper trail that was never meant to be followed.”
click to view police report
Told Not to Speak, and Now One of Them is Dead
All three women say they were explicitly warned by officers and jail staff not to speak to anyone inside the detention center about what happened to them.
Monica spent two and a half weeks in the Cleveland County Detention Center. During that time, she repeatedly asked for her daily blood thinner medication—medication she needed for a known clotting condition.
Her requests were ignored, according to her mother and Crystal. On July 4, 2025, Monica died in her cell. She never received her medication.
Missing Records, Missing Witness
Despite dying in jail custody, Monica’s name never appeared in the jail’s inmate inquiry system. The family’s only document is a vague charge sheet with no name, no time, no booking info—nothing official.
Even more troubling is that Jane’s former cellmate, Ruby Glaze, who allegedly witnessed Monica’s deteriorating condition, has since gone missing. She was supposed to be released on June 26 and had offered to give a statement.
The family believes she may have been intentionally silenced or pressured into disappearing.
Crystal’s Car, Missing Property, and a McDonald’s Meal That Wasn’t Theirs
When Crystal’s car was returned, it had been torn apart, and Happy Meal trash—including milk—was found inside, even though the women never stopped at a McDonald’s. Meanwhile, cash and personal belongings were missing from Jane and Crystal’s purses. Monica’s purse, oddly, was untouched—even used to make a phone call from jail before her death.
A Pattern of Deaths, a Legal Wall
Research by the family revealed nearly 10 other unexplained deaths inside the Cleveland County Detention Center since 2019. None have led to external investigations.
To make matters worse, a new North Carolina law signed on July 9, 2025, has restricted public access to autopsy reports. Monica was cremated before her autopsy and death certificate were completed, and attorneys won’t move forward until official cause of death documents are released.
A Demand for Accountability
With no names in official records, no transparency, and a body buried before answers arrived, the family believes Monica’s death is part of a broader pattern—one where voices are silenced, documents are erased, and officials look the other way.
They are now demanding:
- A federal investigation into Cleveland County Detention Center
- Full release of Monica’s jail and medical records
- Immediate location and protection of witness Ruby Glaze
- Public accountability for the lack of female officers during arrest
- Transparency about body cam footage, blood test records, and surveillance
“Monica wasn’t just ignored. She was erased.”
view summary that question the analysis of the police report
Anyone with information is urged to contact the family at (423) 759-6129.
For full original coverage, visit:
https://thechronicle.cfd/2025/07/22/breaking-mysterious-jail-death-of-tennessee-woman-sparks-outrage-family-alleges-neglect-cover-up-and-foul-play-in-north-carolina-detention-center