ROLETTE COUNTY, ND – The tragic in-custody death of 19-year-old Lacey Higdem in Rolette County Jail on June 4, 2020, largely went unnoticed by the public. Despite being the second in-custody death at the small jail within two years, the case did not receive widespread media coverage.
However, recently uncovered audio evidence has reignited the case, calling into question sworn testimony and exposing potential misconduct among jail staff. The newly revealed evidence could play a pivotal role in determining who is responsible for the young mother’s death and whether there was a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth.
Higdem’s Arrest and Final Hours in Jail
On June 3, 2020, a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer found Lacey Higdem screaming in the woods on the Turtle Mountain Reservation. She was clearly under the influence of drugs, hallucinating, and asking for officers to “please shoot me.”
Paramedics and a tribal officer from the Belcourt Police Department were called to the scene. Higdem was delusional, claiming that 100 babies needed saving in the woods and that her own 6-month-old child had been left behind. Officers later confirmed that her child was safe at home with family.
Since Higdem was not an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Tribe, Rolette County authorities took over. Higdem admitted to using meth earlier that day and was arrested for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
She was first taken to Presentation Medical Center in Rolla for evaluation. After two hours, medical staff cleared her for jail at around 3:30 p.m. Despite her initial calm and cooperative demeanor, Higdem’s condition rapidly deteriorated inside the jail.
By midnight, she was dead.
Ignored Warnings and Inmate Concerns
Higdem was placed alone in a “lockdown” cell, meaning jail staff could monitor her at all times via video surveillance.
Throughout the evening, inmates in the unit repeatedly raised alarms about Higdem’s worsening state, pressing the emergency intercom button multiple times to alert correctional officers.
Officers April Azure and Myles Brunelle, who were on duty, were advised to keep an extra eye on Higdem and conduct a medical screening. However, they did not place her on special watch, which would have required 15-minute checks.
Surveillance footage shows that Higdem was hallucinating, running around her cell, scratching at the floor, and kicking at imaginary objects. By 8:30 p.m., she had urinated on herself, removed her pants and underwear, and was visibly in distress.
Other inmates pressed the emergency button again—but help was slow to arrive.
Correctional Officers Ignored Protocol, Lied in Testimony
At 9:15 p.m., Azure finally checked on Higdem, noting that she couldn’t stand up and kept hitting her head on the wall. Concerned, she suggested Higdem be taken back to the hospital, but nothing was done.
Instead of monitoring Higdem, Azure and Brunelle were caught on surveillance video engaging in intimate behavior, watching a horror movie, and neglecting mandatory hourly checks.
At midnight, Brunelle entered Higdem’s cell and found her unresponsive. Instead of performing CPR, he ran out to get other officers. Medical personnel arrived at 12:27 a.m., and Higdem was pronounced dead at 12:42 a.m.
Newly Discovered Audio Evidence Contradicts Officer Testimony
The case remained largely unnoticed until Higdem’s family filed a federal lawsuit against Rolette County, correctional officers, a doctor, and Presentation Medical Center.
Initially, Azure and Brunelle testified under oath that they did not know Higdem was on drugs and believed she was medically cleared by doctors. Based on this testimony, the county’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing there was no “deliberate indifference” to Higdem’s medical needs.
However, the plaintiff’s attorney Andrew Noel of Robins Kaplan LLP recently uncovered explosive new audio evidence from the jail’s control room.
The audio directly contradicts the officers’ testimony, revealing:
- Jail staff knew Higdem was high, describing her as “crazy high” and “high as a kite.”
- Officers deliberately ignored her condition to avoid placing her on a mandatory 15-minute special watch.
- Azure was heard telling Brunelle that Higdem was on “those good drugs.”
- Staff conspired to downplay Higdem’s state in official reports.
Noel argues that this newly discovered evidence “blows a hole” in the officers’ sworn testimony and proves a cover-up occurred.
County’s Attempt to Block the Evidence
Following the discovery, county attorneys are now trying to challenge the audio evidence, calling it “inadmissible hearsay.” They claim the conversion process that uncovered the audio was not properly presented to the court.
However, Noel has formally requested a hearing, stating that the audio proves perjury and deliberate misconduct by Rolette County staff.
The case is now in the hands of Chief Judge Peter Welte, who has yet to rule on whether the county’s motion to dismiss will be granted or if the case will proceed to trial.
A trial date is set for June 10, 2025.
A Family Fighting for Justice
Higdem’s family remains determined to hold Rolette County accountable. Her attorney, Andrew Noel, criticized the county’s actions, stating:
“Lacey was only 19 years old. Even her inability to stand or dress herself didn’t result in any action. Brunelle and Azure decided watching movies and fondling each other were more important than human life and dignity.”
Noel further pointed out that Rolette County Jail had a history of violating safety regulations, leading to the state’s Department of Corrections ordering its temporary shutdown in 2020 due to “ongoing danger to inmate health and safety.”
“The county is still trying to shield the magnitude of its misconduct from the public and defend the indefensible.”
As the trial approaches, all eyes will be on Rolette County and the justice system to see whether those responsible for Lacey Higdem’s tragic death will finally be held accountable.
I’m Chris Harper, reporting for TRF News