Former Beltrami Co. Nurse Charged in Inmate’s Death Appears in Court

A former nurse at the Beltrami County Jail who is charged with three felonies in connection with the death of an inmate there made her first appearance in court last Friday.

37-year-old Michelle Skroch, who worked for the former provider of healthcare for the Beltrami County Jail, has been charged with one count of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of criminal neglect–felony deprivation for the 2018 death of Hardel Sherrell.

Beltrami County District Court Judge John Melbye set bail at $200,000 without conditions or nothing with restrictions that include not contacting witnesses or the victim’s family and not leaving the state without court approval. Skroch’s next court appearance is set for May 17th.

Hardel Sherrell

According to court records, Skroch is accused of failing to perform “the most basic nursing care” and did not take Sherrell’s vitals for two days, despite “object evidence” of Sherrell’s medical distress after he returned from the emergency room. As outlined in the complaint, a correctional healthcare expert’s review concluded that Skroch’s actions demonstrated a “tremendous breach in the standard of care” and called it wholly inadequate, done from a distance, and professionally beneath the standard of care.

An autopsy showed Sherrell died from complications of “progressive neurological disorder consistent with Guillain-Bareé syndrome.” The correctional health expert said Guillain-Bareé syndrome is serious but treatable and that the survival rate from the disease is extremely high with appropriate treatment.

Skroch worked for MEnD Correctional Care, which filed for bankruptcy following Sherrell’s death and no longer provides healthcare for inmates. Skroch’s nursing license was revoked in 2023.