Lamont Cathey has so far cost authorities a
staggering £840,000 in healthcare for his rather
unusual prison diet.
A teenager is literally eating the jail that is
holding him by scoffing screws, pins, leather and
metal.
Lamont Cathey has been taken to hospital 24
times in just 16 months after he started breaking
off and swallowing parts of his prison cell.
The 18-year-old has so far cost the state of
Illinois a whopping $1.3 million (£840,000) in
healthcare from his strange habit after he was
arrested a year ago for breaking into pizzeria and
stealing cash.
Cara Smith, executive director of Cook Country
jail, said: "He’s literally eating the jail."
According to reports, Cathey, who was a
promising basketball player, was caught by the
manager of the store in an office hunched over a
safe.
Although he was let go by the store boss after it
was revealed he had not taken any of the money,
he was still arrested and taken into jail.
An attempted plea bargain collapsed and no-one
paid his $5,000 (£3,230) bond meaning the young
man has found himself languishing in jail ever
since.
According to the Chicago Tribune, it was at this
point that something snapped with the teen who
began eating almost anything he could see.
So far he has consumed parts of his bed, a prison
camera and medical equipment.
His family have blamed the shocking habit on the
prison system, which they claim has failed him.
Miss Smith added: "This case to me is a perfect
example of the failure of the criminal justice
system ... It’s been a crushingly sad and very
frustrating case."
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