Tarrant County community members rally to demand justice for loved ones who died in custody
March 9, 2026
Tarrant County - Texas Jail Project joined over 50 people at the Tarrant County Courthouse on Sunday, March 1, 2026 to demand justice for community members and loved ones who…
Topics: Custody Death, Mental Health, Tarrant County
“It’s time for change. It’s time for people to hear our voices. We’re going to get louder and louder. They’re not going to bury this case.”
Tarrant County – Texas Jail Project joined over 50 people at the Tarrant County Courthouse on Sunday, March 1, 2026 to demand justice for community members and loved ones who died while in custody in the Tarrant County jail.
The rally was organized by Families United for Accountability and Transparency at Tarrant County Jail, a group that formed to unite mothers and family members impacted by incarceration and the mental health systems in Tarrant County. The group has engaged with local and state agencies, such as the county commissioners court, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and the state legislature to demand accountability and justice for their loved ones.
Amaal Sharif, a community organizer with Texas Jail Project shared about the rally:
Sunday’s rally was the personification of what the love of a parent is. The rally was organized by family members of people who died in custody of Tarrant county Jail. Loved ones of those who died hold Sheriff Waybourn responsible for medical negligence and inhumane conditions that caused the deaths of over 70 people in the past 9 years since Waybourn has been Sheriff. Although these families were brought together through tragedy, each one made it their personal mission to birth life into space as they spoke proudly of their beautiful children.
One of the most beautiful moments of the rally was seeing how the mothers would console each other after they spoke and spoke affirmations over them. Many community members and elected officials joined them on stage to express their condolences and also declare their commitment to fighting alongside each family to hold the Sheriff and the jail accountable for murdering their children.
“Remember Chasity. Remember Anthony. Remember Trelynn. Remember every family still waiting for answers. Change does not come from the people who create these systems. It comes from the people willing to hold them accountable.”
Despite the rally only lasting a few hours, its effects can still be felt long after, with so many mothers across the state feeling empowered to also take a stand in their local communities.