McCuin Autopsy Reveals That He Overdosed on Seroquel

From the Tyler Paper, the man accused of killing and eating his girlfriend, died of an overdose of Seroquel, a medication used to treat schizophrenia, and, more recently approved to treat bipolar disorder. It is classified as a antipsychotic and a mood stabilizer. I have not heard it classified as an antidepressant (with the exception of J.B. Smith's explanation).

Excerpt from the paper:
According to Sheriff J.B. Smith, the report
from Southwest Forensics Laboratory in Dallas
indicates that McCuin died from an overdose
of the antidepressant quetiapine furnerte,
known by its generic name, Seroquel. Smith
said the drug was prescribed to McCuin by a
jail psychiatrist.

“It was used for depression associated with
bipolar disorder and also used for the warning
signs and symptoms of psychotic disorders,”
he said. “He was obviously saving it up and
he overdosed intentionally.”

I fear that this will become more and more a problem as jails reduce their budgets for psychiatric care and as DSHS reduces its budget (right now proposed to be reduced $11 million). Unfortunately, many jails are going to medication formularies that do not permit new generation medications. Although McCuin overdosed on a new gen medication, Seroquel, most are considered safer than the older medications.