JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ja’Sarah and Altamese Boynton spent Christmas and New Year’s thinking their brother, Jarvis Boynton, 29, was alive and well.
But on Jan. 12, they got a phone call they weren't expecting.
"I get a phone call from my property manager telling me to contact the cemetery cremation person," said Altamese Boynton.
When she called, she was told her brother had died while at the Duval County Jail on Dec. 16.
"I broke down because my best friend had to continue talking to her because it felt like somebody literally punched me in my stomach," said Altamese Boynton.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrest records show Jarvis Boynton had been in and out of jail since 2008. Most recently, he was arrested for violating his probation.
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Altamese Boynton remembers the last time she spoke to him.
"I told him he needs to do better, he needs to get back in school, he needs to start getting a job," she said.
The sisters said they've been trying to get answers of their own but got nowhere, so they came to Action News.
A JSO spokesperson sent Action News this statement:
"Detectives not only have to investigate who the next of kin might be, they then have to track them down after identifying them. If all citizens were open books and had this important information readily accessible, it would be easier for the detectives to complete this important step. Unfortunately, it is just not that simple all the time."
"They are still human beings, they're not animals, they just made a mistake," said Altamese Boynton.
According to JSO, Jarvis Boynton died of natural causes.
The family gave us a copy of the autopsy report, which shows the cause of death was asphyxia in part due to massive bilateral pulmonary thromboembolism.
Ja'Sarah Boynton said she still has questions, like could her brother's death been prevented.
"The decomposition had set in that much that we couldn't even identify him, and that's not fair to us," said Ja'Sarah Boynton.
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