My brother, Robert, was afraid when he found out he was being transferred to Charlotte Correctional Institute. He had heard how tough it was there, and how other inmates had been beaten to death. Soon after he was transferred, he told me that if anything were to happen to him, I should seek answers because, in his exact words, “it will not be what it appears to be.”

But even with this warning, I was shocked when, one month later, I got a call from the prison’s warden. Robert had sustained “unsurvivable” injuries and was on his deathbed. They told me it was a suicide; that he had hanged himself. I know this is not true.

Robert’s was at least the seventh unexplained inmate death at CCI since 2013 and one of seven ongoing death investigations there. In fact, just last year alone more than 346 people have died under the care of the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) and these deaths have been shrouded in mystery. In our case, the prison has simply refused to tell our family what exactly happened to Robert, no matter how hard we’ve pushed.

This is not right. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has investigated Robert’s case, but their investigation left us with more questions than answers. Inmates’ lives are at risk at CCI, and I am calling on the US Justice Department to investigate both my brother, Robert Peterkin's, death and conditions at the FDC in general. Inmates are human beings, too, and too many lives have been taken already.

To add insult to injury, amidst the prison’s growing body count, Charlotte’s warden was given the department’s highest leadership award in April. It seems that the prison authorities are not being held accountable for the deaths and injuries happening on their watch. This has to end.

My brother was a sweet and generous man, the youngest of our seven siblings. He was dealt many rough blows in life, but this one was tragic and preventable. We can’t bring him back, but I hope to stop this from happening to someone else's beloved family member.

Please join me in calling on the US Justice Department to investigate my brother’s death and general inmate safety within the FDC.

Thank you.