Jury trial for second former Cooper County Jail employee accused of manslaughter set for November
FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ)
Another former Cooper County Jail employee accused of manslaughter in the death of an inmate has a jury trial scheduled.
The jury trial for Rachel Atherton is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13 at the Callaway County Courthouse, according to Monday court filings. A pretrial conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Atherton and Robyn Pfeiffer were both charged in February with first-degree involuntary manslaughter in the death of Brooke Bailey. Pfeiffer’s trial is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
Both cases were moved from Cooper County to Callaway County on July 19 after a joint motion for a change of venue was filed.
Bailey was found dead on Oct. 27 in her cell with blood and vomit on the floor and on her clothing. Special prosecutors with the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office filed the charges.
Both Atherton and Pfeiffer are accused of failing to get Bailey medical help and telling others not to do so, according to the complaints filed against them.
Court documents say a medical examiner found Bailey died from diabetic ketoacidosis and low sodium levels. Bailey had told staff when she was booked that she had diabetes, along with other conditions. The probable cause statement says Bailey did not receive treatment when she complained of feeling ill and she became verbally nonresponsive to jailers.
