VALDOSTA — Prison authorities have released documents about an inmate death that took place in April at Valdosta State Prison.

Derick Joshua Ferrell died April 6 at the prison, according to documents provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections after The Valdosta Daily Times made an open records request to the department.

The Times found out about the inmate’s death after being contacted by a family member of Ferrell.

At 9:46 p.m., April 6, medical assistance was called to dormitory A2 for Ferrell, who was taken to the prison’s medical bay, documents show. The nature of the medical situation was redacted in the documents; inmate medical information is not subject to open records laws. Records characterized his death as a “disruptive event.”

Medical aid was rendered and 911 was called. An emergency lockdown and prisoner count were held.

Ferrell was declared dead at the prison just past midnight by the coroner, a report shows.

Ferrell’s death was the latest in a long list of fatalities at Valdosta State Prison in recent years:

— Investigators believe inmate Bobby Carpenter died from injuries following a fight with another inmate Sept. 9, 2020, according to a Georgia Department of Corrections statement. The cause of death appeared to be stab wounds, Lowndes County Coroner Austin Fiveash said at the time.

— Orvonta Tillman is believed to have died June 15, 2020, as a result of injuries sustained during an altercation with another inmate. At the time, Fiveash said Tillman died of stab wounds.

— Prince Blige, 55, died Feb. 11, 2020; he was believed to have been killed in an inmate fight, according to the corrections department.

— On Sept. 5, 2019, Brodrick Seals, 28, died after being found unresponsive in his cell; authorities claimed his death was a suicide.

— Elander Johnson died July 25, 2019, as a result of injuries apparently sustained during an altercation involving another inmate in a case being investigated as a homicide, according to the corrections department.

—On May 26, 2019, guards found Astair Holmes Jr. unresponsive in his cell; prison officials were investigating his death as a possible suicide.

— Inmate Simon Warren died April 14, 2019, after a suicide attempt, according to state prison officials.

— Kealy Williams, 37, died March 30, 2019, from injuries caused by a fight with another inmate, according to a corrections department statement.

— In August 2018, Joshua Roman died of injuries sustained in a fight, according to the corrections department.

— In July 2018, Herman Galeno, 31, was found unresponsive in his cell.

— In June 2018, David Cordova was found unresponsive in his cell.

— In April 2018, Joseph Pagen’s death following a fight was investigated as a homicide, according to the corrections department.

— In March 2018, Benjamin Snyder died following an inmate fight; the corrections department investigated his death as a homicide.

— On Dec. 4, 2017, inmate Jenna Mitchell died of apparent suicide. A lawsuit was filed against the state prison system claiming her death was due to deliberate “indifference” to her medical and mental health needs, according to court documents. The corrections department settled with her family in late 2021 for $2.2 million.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.