Jenni Riehle, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Corrections, confirmed to Bridge Michigan that Ashley Hoath, 36, of Hillsdale County, died Saturday after being transported to Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital, located about 15 minutes from the prison.

Earlier that day, a corrections officer noticed Hoath was not feeling well and escorted her to the prison’s healthcare unit, where medical staff determined she needed to be transferred to the hospital, Riehle said.

Hoath’s death follows those of Khaira Howard, 28, on May 13 and Rebecca Fackler, 57, on May 17. All three women were incarcerated at WHV.

The deaths have sparked public outrage and drawn scrutiny from lawmakers, advocates and locals, as the issue surfaced recently in Delta County’s 47th Circuit Court.

Three inmates at the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility have died in less than one month. From left to right: Khaira Howard, 28, died on May 13; Rebecca Fackler, 57, died on May 17; and Ashley Hoath, 36, died on Saturday. (Photos courtesy of the Michigan Department of Corrections)

Crystalyn Dixie Knuth of Escanaba was sentenced in May after pleading guilty to assault in connection with an August 2025 stabbing.

Judge John Economopoulos sentenced Knuth to three to 10 years in prison, with credit for 259 days already served. She will serve her sentence at WHV.

During Knuth’s sentencing, her attorney, Jennifer France of The France Firm P.C. in Sault Ste. Marie, voiced concerns about conditions at the facility.

“Putting her in prison at Women’s Huron Valley could be — and I’m not trying to sound dramatic — a death sentence right now,” France said.

“I realize there’s nothing you (Economopoulos) can do, but we have got to, as a bar, start standing up and saying this is not acceptable,” she added.

During the May hearing, Economopoulos said he could not independently verify the claims but acknowledged France’s advocacy for her client.

“I can’t speak as to what the Huron prison condition is,” Economopoulos said. “I take at face value counsel’s statements, as she is an officer of the court. I hope that it’s not as horrible as she described, but I have no basis to know otherwise.

“I know that Ms. France is a sincere advocate and not somebody who would try to mislead the court. But that is something beyond my control.”

France told the Daily Press one of her former clients recently passed away after being released from WHV. The client spent 18 months in the facility.

Another one of France’s former clients who was sentenced to serve time in WHV at a young age told France the experience was the “scariest and worst experience of her life,” according to France.

“I have other clients that have told me about the guards and women being raped, and it’s cruel and unusual punishment right now. I mean, these women are doing their time. They don’t need to be treated like animals,” France said.

“It blows my mind that we only have one woman’s prison in this entire state,” she added. “I’ve lost count how many prisons I’ve been in. Some of them are better than others, but it does feel like the women are kind of being ignored.”

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell sent a letter to Whitmer expressing concerns over reports of toxic mold and other health and safety issues at the facility.

“No one should be subjected to conditions that threaten their health and well-being,” Dingell wrote. “But for years, there have been alarming reports of the condition of and treatment facing women in custody at the facility. Several have come forward with their experiences of having to clean toxic mold without proper safety equipment and describe a disturbing lack of medical care.”

According to Bridge Michigan, Whitmer’s office responded by reiterating a statement first released in May following the deaths of Fackler and Howard.

“The health and safety of those under MDOC’s supervision must always be their top priority,” Whitmer spokesperson Bobby Leddy said.

Pressure has also mounted on MDOC leadership.

On May 21, 34 current and former elected officials from across Michigan sent a letter to MDOC Director Heidi Washington calling for her resignation.

The letter cited the deaths of Howard and Fackler at WHV, along with the recent deaths of Colton Mitchell, 36, at Chippewa Correctional Facility in Chippewa County and Devin Hurst, 26, at the Charles Egeler Reception and Guidance Center in Jackson County.

“These deaths follow heightened scrutiny of the department’s facilities, incarcerated individuals’ access to health care and conditions of confinement within Michigan’s prisons from the Michigan Legislature,” the letter stated. “Tragically, this scrutiny was not enough to save these lives or to cause the department to act to address these pressing concerns before more incarcerated individuals suffer neglect, injury or death in the State of Michigan’s custody.”

In a statement from MDOC Director Washington, she said the department is “working aggressively to investigate the circumstances that led up to Ms. Hoath being sent to the hospital,” Bridge Michigan reported.

As of Thursday, Washington remained in her position, which she has held since 2015.

Riehle also said the department is working to “expedite the investigations into the recent deaths” at WHV.

Bridge further reported that the MDOC has disputed allegations of widespread toxic mold at the facility, citing an independent review that found conditions consistent with those typically seen in a large residential institution. However, a recent report noted ventilation problems and failing air circulators.

Bridge Michigan reported that MDOC records show four prisoner deaths at the facility in 2025 prior to Hoath’s death and three deaths in 2024.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.