The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating the death of a patient at East Mississippi State Hospital in Meridian.
Keshawn Carpenter has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death, according to Lauderdale County Sheriff Ward Calhoun. He remains in the Lauderdale County Detention Center with a bond of $250,000.
MBI did not respond to questions from Mississippi Today by Friday morning.
Carpenter’s LinkedIn profile lists his occupation as a direct care worker at East Mississippi State Hospital. Calhoun could not verify Carpenter was an employee of the hospital.
The Department of Mental Health operates the behavioral health program in Meridian that serves people in a 31-county area. It offers inpatient psychiatric care, nursing home services and operates group homes that prepare people with mental illness for independent living.
Adam Moore, spokesperson for the agency, said the department can’t share information because of the ongoing investigation.
“The Department of Mental Health takes the safety and security of the people we serve seriously. Our staff and the staff of East Mississippi State Hospital (EMSH) are deeply saddened by this tragic incident,” Moore said in a statement to Mississippi Today. “EMSH immediately contacted emergency medical services and law enforcement to respond to the situation. Investigators with the office of the Attorney General and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation have begun the investigation, and the hospital and department are fully cooperating.”
After police responded to a call at the hospital, the patient was transferred to Jackson for medical care on May 31 and died two days later, according to the ScottyRay Report. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Sophia, a New York native, covers community health with a focus on women’s and family health care. In 2023, she graduated with a master’s in journalism from Northeastern University, where she served as editor-in-chief of the Boston Scope. Her multimedia work has been recognized by the National Press Photographers Association and the New England chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She has also worked for the global nonprofit, Girl Rising, and the documentary group, The Disability Justice Project.
More by Sophia Paffenroth
