Inmate with the mind of a child to be moved from Tarrant County Jail
Shawn Fraraccio, a 26-year-old intellectually disabled man who has been in Tarrant County Jail for more than a year, will be moved to a state home next week, following media attention on his case.
As previously reported in the Star-Telegram, Fraraccio was arrested twice in December 2024 for allegedly striking his mother with his hand. He had been in jail ever since on charges of continuous violence against a family member.
But his mother, Christy Bridgman of Azle, said her son has the cognitive capacity of a 6- to 8-year-old and had no idea what he was doing. She said even now, he doesn’t realize he’s in jail.
Fraraccio was found incompetent to stand trial in May and has been awaiting placement in a State Supported Living Center, or SSLC, a process that can take years because space is limited.
Throughout his incarceration, Bridgman has tried to get her son released, but he hasn’t been eligible for bond, and the District Attorney’s Office has declined to drop the charges.
In March, Bridgman appealed to the Tarrant County Commissioners Court for help. Commissioner Alisa Simmons met with Bridgman briefly outside the courtroom and told her she’d look into the case.
Simmons was unavailable for comment.
The criminal charges are pending until Fraraccio is restored to competency. Bridgman said her son will be moved to an SSLC in Mexia, where he’ll undergo intensive counseling. Still, Bridgman said Fraraccio was born with developmental disabilities, and she doubts he’ll ever be restored to competency, regardless of what treatment he receives at the SSLC.
Bridgman feared her son wouldn’t survive Tarrant County Jail
While in jail, Fraraccio lost a significant amount of weight, Bridgman said, and he injured himself by intentionally hitting his head against the wall. When Bridgman visited him earlier this year, Fraraccio was unshaven, barefoot and appeared disheveled. Bridgman previously told the Star-Telegram Fraraccio was unable to care for himself, and she feared her son would die behind bars.
Bridgman was adamant she never wanted Fraraccio to be punished. The first time he was arrested in December 2024, neighbors overheard an altercation between Fraraccio and Bridgman in their apartment and called police, Bridgman said. The second time, Bridgman called a My Health My Resources of Tarrant County crisis line after Fraraccio became agitated. The MHMR representative called police in that instance, said Bridgman.
MHMR is a state-contracted nonprofit that provides mental health services and services to the intellectually disabled. The organization partners with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office to offer resources to jail inmates as well.
When reached for comment on this story, a MHMR spokesperson said the agency couldn’t speak to Fraraccio’s specific case.
Talking to the Star-Telegram this week, Bridgman sounded elated that Fraraccio will be moved from the Tarrant County Jail into the living center in Mexia.
“It’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time,” she said.
A Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told the Star-Telegram last month Fraraccio was receiving additional attention while in jail that most inmates don’t get. For example, he was given a more comfortable mattress, and he is allowed to change clothes three times a week as opposed to once a week, which is jail standard. When asked about Fraraccio’s weight loss, the spokesperson said he had the opportunity to request a liquid supplement “to ensure proper caloric intake.”
Jail staff were also checking on Fraraccio more frequently than other inmates, the spokesperson said.
Last month, Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn told KXAS-TV that jail wasn’t the right place for Fraraccio, but nothing could be done until a spot opened up in an SSLC. Waybourn said 62 people in Tarrant County Jail were in a similar situation as Fraraccio, where they had been deemed incompetent to stand trial and were awaiting placement in a state facility.
The MHMR spokesperson said Texas Health and Human Services makes the determination about when an inmate can be transferred to an SSLC.
Bridgman said she visited Fraraccio in jail recently, and the two sang “Jesus Loves Me” together. She added that Fraraccio kept saying he loved and missed her.
“I’ve missed him more than anything,” said Bridgman.
Once Fraraccio is in Mexia, Bridgman believes she’ll be able to visit him often and will be able to hug him instead of talking to him through a partition.