Female Prison Kitchen Worker Killed By Inmate On The Job In Murder-Suicide, Romantic Relationship Suspected
A Smith State Prison kitchen worker was gunned down by an inmate while on the job before shooting and killing himself.
Aureon Grace was killed by inmate Jaydrekus Hart on Father's Day.
Hart was serving a 20-year sentence for involuntary manslaughter and aggravated battery. The incident has left the community reeling and raised serious questions about safety protocols within the correctional facility.
Grace, only 24-years-old, was a young mother of two. Reports allege that Hart, 34, and Grace shared a "personal relationship."
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The news of Grace's death reached her family in a harrowing manner. Her mother, Deshonda Hagins, reportedly learned of the incident through a phone call from fellow inmates. The inmates looked at social media in an attempt to figure out who to contact about the death of Grace.
In a statement according to 'Fox-5,' Hagins directed her anger and grief towards the prison administration.
"They failed her. You failed her. My child is dead and it's no explanation for a firearm to be inside of a prison. Why didn't they search him when he left his dorm, why didn't they search him before he came into the cafeteria? Why was none of those things done? She was a sister, she was a daughter, she was a mother," she said. "She was loved."
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The incident has prompted scrutiny of security procedures at Smith State Prison, with demands for answers regarding how a firearm entered the facility undetected. Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the murder-suicide, aiming to uncover any lapses in security protocols at the maximum security facility that contributed to the tragedy.
In an email, a spokesperson for Aramark, Grace's employer, said that they "are working with the corrections officials as they continually assess safety and security at Smith and other facilities."
They continued: "The safety of our employees is always our highest priority and we work closely with corrections agencies to address that."
Grace, who, according to her mother, was saving money to enroll in nursing school, is survived by her mother, a four-year-old daughter, and a one-year-old son.
