Kalena "Peaches" Croskey
Age 3211 Jun 2026
Birmingham, Alabama (USA)
Suicide
Peaches passed away after being found unresponsive in a prison cell following what authorities described as a "self harm incident".
The transgender community in Birmingham, Alabama is mourning the loss of Kalena “Peaches” Croskey, a 32-year-old Black trans woman who died last Thursday while being held in city jail.
Initially misgendered in local media reports, the nonprofit TAKE Resource Center wrote on Substack this week that Croskey was “more than a community member.”
“She was family,” the organization, which focuses on providing social services to trans people of color, wrote in a June 15 post. “She brought light, laughter, and joy into every space she entered. Despite the many challenges she faced throughout her life, she never allowed those struggles to define her. Whether she was singing her favorite Beyoncé songs, voguing to the beat, creating glamorous makeup looks, or simply making others smile, Peaches found ways to experience joy and share it with those around her.”
Early coverage of Croskey’s death only identified her using her birth name and referred to her as a man. Local NBC affiliate WVTM cited information provided by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office stating that Croskey was found unresponsive during a routine check at Birmingham City Jail and could not be resuscitated. Per WVTM, Croskey had been in the jail since April 21 on charges of disorderly conduct, public intoxication, criminal mischief, and third-degree assault.
Three days after Croskey’s death, another person died in Birmingham City Jail shortly after being evaluated for a self-harm attempt. Both deaths are under investigation by the Birmingham Police Department, according to WVTM, which cited its own reporting on deteriorating conditions inside the facility over the last several years.
“This loss is not accidental. It is a tragic reminder of the failures within the carceral system. The lack of adequate mental health resources, combined with negligence and systemic shortcomings in our system, continues to cost lives,” TAKE Resource Center wrote in its Substack post. “Far too many people are dying at the hands of systems that cause harm rather than healing. Incarceration should never lead to dehumanization. Peaches was a human being. She deserved dignity, respect, compassion, and access to the care she needed.”
TAKE Resource Center is planning a short memorial and a balloon release for Croskey at its forthcoming Juneteenth event on the 20th.
“Rest peacefully, Peaches,” the nonprofit wrote. “Your life mattered, your presence was felt, and your memory will forever remain with us.”
https://www.them.us/story/kalena-peaches-croskey-birmingham-city-jail-death
https://www.thepinknews.com/2026/06/17/birmingham-alabama-trans-woman-dead-jail/
https://www.al.com/news/2026/06/32-year-old-inmate-dies-at-birmingham-city-jail.html
