Lashawn Thompson, a troubled inmate, met a horrifying end when he was reportedly "eaten alive" by a swarm of bed bugs in a squalid Georgia prison cell, claims an outraged family member, per Globe.

Thompson's relatives are now suing Fulton County Jail officials for housing him in an appalling cell that was "not fit for a diseased animal," states attorney Michael Harper.

While the local medical examiner declared the 35-year-old's cause of death as "undetermined" and found no evident signs of trauma on his body, the official disturbingly noted that Thompson's corpse was "covered in bed bugs." Thompson's brother, Brad McCrae, expresses that the shocking images of the remains were difficult to view, and that the family is appalled by the ghastly tragedy.

"Can you imagine seeing these photos and knowing what happened to your loved one to die like that," McCrae remarks. "We're just sick about it."

Thompson's ordeal began with his arrest for simple misdemeanor battery in June, after which he was placed in a cell. He was soon diagnosed with mental health issues and transferred to the psychiatric unit for treatment. However, Harper points out that the planned move to the medical observation unit never occurred, and Thompson was left in his original cell.

The attorney alleges that, despite witnessing Thompson's health decline over the days, jail staff did nothing to assist him. Three months later, on September 13, Thompson was found dead, his body ravaged by bed bugs. "They literally watched his health decline until he died," Harper asserts.

Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat has requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to determine if criminal charges are warranted. Although Labat's office maintains that "the health, well-being, and security of inmates in our care is our top priority," it concedes that the old jail is "dilapidated and rapidly eroding."

Thompson's grieving family is calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. "He did not deserve this," says Harper. "Someone has to be held accountable for his death."