Jury trial of second former Cooper County Jail employee on manslaughter charges in November

FULTON, Missouri (KMIZ)

Another former Cooper County Jail employee charged with manslaughter of an inmate is set to face a jury trial.

Rachel Atherton's jury trial is scheduled for Wednesday, November 13, at 9 a.m. at the Callaway County Courthouse, according to court records Monday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, at 9 a.m.

Atherton and Robyn Pfeiffer were both charged in February with first-degree manslaughter in connection with 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 to change venue was filed.

Bailey was found dead in her cell on October 27. There was blood and vomit on the floor and on her clothes. Special investigators from the Jackson County District Attorney's Office filed charges.

Both Atherton and Pfeiffer are accused of failing to provide medical attention to Bailey and of preventing others from doing so, according to the charges against them.

According to court documents, a medical examiner determined Bailey died of diabetic ketoacidosis and low sodium levels. Bailey had told staff when she was admitted that she had diabetes, among other medical conditions. The probable cause statement states that Bailey received no treatment when she complained of feeling unwell and became verbally unresponsive to prison guards.