Tennessee inmate gives birth to baby alone in her jail cell. She had been assessed by a nurse less than an hour earlier
By Morayo Ogunbayo, CNN
(CNN) — A woman incarcerated in Middle Tennessee gave birth alone in her cell earlier this week – less than an hour after she was assessed by a nurse at the facility, authorities said.
The pregnant inmate being housed in a medical pod at the Montgomery County Jail told a deputy that she needed medical care around 11:30 a.m. Sunday. A licensed practical nurse checked on her a few minutes later, followed by a registered nurse at 11:54 a.m., according to a statement from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
“After the follow-up assessment, the medical staff left the cell but continued to assess the situation and order additional medical tests,” the sheriff’s office said. “Deputies continued to check on the inmate during this time.”
A deputy checked on the inmate at 12:41 p.m. and discovered that she had given birth in her cell, according to the sheriff’s office. It’s unclear exactly how long she was alone before she gave birth.
Emergency medical services and medical personnel at the jail were alerted, authorities said, and the inmate and her baby were taken to a hospital where they were listed in stable condition as of Tuesday.
A review of the incident has been conducted by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and medical staff, according to the statement, which didn’t detail specifics of the review.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said in a statement to CNN the agency is not releasing any more information on the condition of the inmate and her baby, citing her privacy, and that medical records are not subject to disclosure under the Tennessee Open Records Act.
The-CNN-Wire
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