Nationwide — Leroy Stroud Jr., an African American soldier from Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas, sadly passed away in August after reportedly becoming seriously ill following a day of duty. His father is now demanding answers about what happened before his son was found dead in his barracks, including why no one called for emergency medical help when he was reportedly suffering severe symptoms.
Pfc. Stroud died sometime between Aug. 13 and Aug. 14, his father, Leroy Stroud Sr., said. The family has been seeking details about his final hours, particularly what happened after he returned from duty. Stroud Sr. said fellow service members and their families described his son as having a high fever, sweating heavily and vomiting repeatedly.
The father said his son told military leaders that he needed medical attention. Instead, Stroud Sr. said his son became involved in a lengthy dispute with his commanding officer over his condition. He later left the interaction while still sick. “Why didn’t anyone call a medic?” Stroud Sr. said, according to KWTX. He said that question has remained at the center of his concerns about how the situation was handled.
Stroud Sr. said his son was found dead in the barracks about 15 hours after returning from duty. He believes someone should have checked on him after he missed roll call and stopped answering his phone. In a Facebook post, he accused his son’s chain of command of failing to make sure he received medical care and said no leader followed up after his son walked away. The father has also said his son had been dealing with mental health issues, adding another part of the circumstances investigators will have to examine.
The Army has not publicly determined what caused Stroud’s death or explained what happened during those hours. A Fort Hood spokesman said military leadership has stayed in contact with the family and understands that they want answers. The Army is conducting three separate investigations: an Army Regulation 15-6 investigation, a line-of-duty investigation and a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division investigation. Officials said they cannot speculate about the circumstances while those investigations remain active.
For his family, the investigation is also about remembering the person behind the uniform. Stroud Sr. described his son as a caring man who loved traveling and took pride in being an older brother. “He was a loving big brother. Always bragged about his little brother. He is very loving and caring,” he said. “Why did my son have to die? We want justice. He was very loved.” The family continues to seek accountability while investigators work to determine what happened before the young soldier was found dead.