Mother Of Man Who Died From Overdose While In Prison Looking For Answers

A Tulsa County Mother who says her son died of an overdose just days after going to prison wants to know how he got ahold of drugs during lockdown.

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections says it's constantly cracking down on contraband in prisons and continues to add resources.

Ryan Naife hoped her son who was a drug addict would be shut off from the source when he went to prison, but she says even life behind bars couldn't protect him.

Naife received a devastating message from a prisoner who was using a contraband cell phone, with news of her son's death.

"I don't know how to tell you this, but your son didn't wake up this morning," said Ryan Naife, the mother.

She said her son, Ryan Hamilton, overdosed at Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy on October 15th.

"He was in solitary confinement, so someone brought it to him," said Ryan Naife.

She called the prison, frantic for answers.

"I said 'well, believe it or not, my son's only been there four or five days and I've got five or six different cell phone numbers," said Ryan Naife.

A few hours later, she got a video from the same prisoner, showing her sons' body lying in the top bunk.

"Maximum is where you're on death row and all of that. A medium yard. You mean to tell me you can't handle the control of drugs that you have in there," said Ryan Naife.

"We know for everything we seize, something gets through, but anything that gets through it's not from a lack of effort," said Josh Ward, DOC.

As of November, DOC seized more than 31,000 contraband pills, which they say is about a 600 percent increase from the previous year.

Meth seizures inside prison walls went up by 46%.

"With Oklahoma becoming such a big state for marijuana, up 673 percent," said Josh Ward, DOC.

Josh Ward said some people throw contraband over fences.

Others use drones to make drops into prison yards.

"It's a reflection on society, so things that are a problem on the outside also become a problem on the inside," said Josh Ward, DOC.

Ward believes many of the pills are Fentanyl.

"It's so cheap to produce. A little bit goes a tremendously long way and there's so much of it coming into this country every day," said Josh Ward, DOC.

DOC has a unit assigned to combat contraband and recently added six new dogs that sniff everything from drugs to cell phones

"We've actually stopped significant crimes from taking place outside the prison that were being called in by people inside prison," said Josh Ward, DOC.

Ward said the punishment for sneaking things in can be ineffective for prisoners who are already serving long sentences.

"It's a none-stop arms race against people who have nothing but time on their hands. There are people who come into prison with as much technological knowledge as anyone in the state agency," said Josh Ward, DOC.

As for Ryan, she's frustrated her son was able to get drugs, and by the way, she found out he died.

"I don't know what else to say but two thumbs down for me," said Ryan Naife, Mom.

Ryan said her son was more than a drug addict or a prisoner, he was a loving father with friends who cared about him.

"We would have whole conversations just with our facial expressions just because we were that tight, you know what I mean. And it's just unfortunate because this one here is taking a pretty major toll on me," said Ryan Naife, Mom.

She said anyone who struggles with addiction should get help before it's too late.

"It's a killer man. It'll kill you," said Ryan Naife. "You don't want it to be your mother up here."

News On 6 requested Ryan Hamilton's autopsy report.

DOC said, "All unattended inmate deaths are investigated by the Office of the Inspector General, regardless of what the cause of death appears to be."