Family questions black woman's Texas jail death ruled suicide

The Texas Rangers are launching a probe into the death of a Chicago-area woman who was found dead in a jail cell in Hempstead Monday morning.

Sandra Bland, 28, was arrested after allegedly kicking a police officer as the officer was giving her a written warning for failing to signal a lane change, the Associated Press reports.

Video of her arrest shows her on the ground, yelling that police have smashed her head into the ground and she cannot hear. Police yell at the photographer, telling him to leave, but he insists he is on public property. Bland is heard thanking him for making the video.

Warning: There is profanity in the video.

The Harris County medical examiner classified her death as suicide by hanging, but few details of her death were released.

Sandra Bland began trending on social media after family and friends voiced doubts that Bland would have committed suicide while in police custody. Bland was known to speak out against police prejudice and even encouraged people on social media to make videos of police encounters.

Friends and family said that Bland was traveling from Illinois to Texas to start a new job at her alma mater, Prairie View A&M. Some believe foul play was involved.

Scroll down to read social media posts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.