Yo Gotti and Team ROC are stepping up to cover the funeral and autopsy expenses for Chadarion Henderson, a 26-year-old man who was found dead at the Parchman prison in Mississippi earlier this month.
As detailed in a press release shared on Thursday, Henderson had indicated to his mother in July that he “feared for his life” at the notoriously violent facility, formally known as Mississippi State Penitentiary. On Aug. 1, not even two weeks after arriving at the prison, Henderson was found dead in his cell “where it appeared he had hung himself.”
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is now conducting an investigation into the death, with Team ROC—the social justice arm of Roc Nation—confirming they will pay for an independent doctor to conduct a full autopsy. Gotti, meanwhile, will cover the costs of Henderson’s funeral. The 26-year-old, pictured below with his children, worked hard to provide and care for his family.
Now, as Gotti explained in a statement to Complex, it’s only right that Henderson’s death be marked with a proper funeral and a full-scale investigation.
“Chadarion Henderson’s unexplained death inside Parchman is the latest example of how that prison continues to fail to protect its incarcerated population,” the Collective Music Group founder said. “My heart goes out to the Henderson family. They deserve sympathy and an opportunity to get closure. I’m committed to doing my part to cover the family’s funeral expenses and make sure Chadarion is remembered by his loved ones in a respectable and dignified way.”
Following Henderson’s death, his mother Cheryl has reportedly not been able to get any more info from prison officials. A Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) listing for Chadarion Henderson states that he was sentenced in Yazoo County for nonresidential burglary last year. A tentative release was set for Oct. 26, 2024. However, both the location and unit categories of the listing are currently listed as “closed record.”
“The Henderson family deserves immediate answers regarding the circumstances around Chadarion’s sudden death as a 26-year-old,” Team ROC Managing Director Dania Diaz said. “The lack of clarity and accountability is appalling and it’s no coincidence that the Mississippi Department of Corrections has averaged eight deaths per month since Dec. 2019. This is an absolute tragedy.”
In March, the Mississippi Department of Corrections ceased publicly reporting inmate deaths. Since December 2019, per Team ROC, there have been at least 136 reported deaths in the MDOC system. An reported 52 of those are said to have occurred at Parchman.
Complex has reached out to a rep for MDOC for comment.
