Alabama woman sues alleging she gave birth on prison floor as guards watched

"Three days after arriving, she said she felt her water break weeks before she was expected to give birth. McElroy, who was being held on charges stemming from an allegation of substance use during pregnancy, later discovered she had suffered a pregnancy complication that could have progressed into sepsis. According to the lawsuit, she informed a guard that her water had broken and believed she would be taken to a hospital for treatment. Instead, the complaint states that another guard who checked on her later that morning accused her of wetting herself and instructed her to return to her cell."

"The lawsuit says that over the following 24 hours, McElroy repeatedly asked jail employees to call 911, but they never did even as other inmates pounded on cell windows and tables while pleading for assistance. The lawsuit, filed by Pregnancy Justice on behalf of McElroy and her daughter, further claims that medical staff gave her only a diaper and Tylenol while she endured severe pain and worried about the safety of her baby."

"According to the complaint, another inmate eventually assisted McElroy in delivering a baby girl who was not breathing when she was born on the prison floor, as prison guards watched. The filing says two women housed in the same pod attempted to revive the newborn by removing mucus from her mouth and rubbing her until she finally cried."

"The complaint also alleges that, after the delivery, a guard told the women: Y'all should've pushed that motherfucking baby back in and punished the women on the cell block, prohibiting them from going outside and to religious services, and revoking phone privileges."

A woman in an Alabama jail filed a federal lawsuit alleging violations of her civil rights and her infant daughter’s rights. She reported that her water broke weeks before her expected due date and later learned she had a pregnancy complication that could have progressed into sepsis. She told a guard her water had broken and expected hospital treatment, but another guard allegedly accused her of wetting herself and sent her back to her cell. Over the next 24 hours, she repeatedly asked staff to call 911 while other inmates pleaded for help. The lawsuit alleges she received only a diaper and Tylenol despite severe pain. It further alleges she delivered on the prison floor while guards watched, and other inmates attempted to revive the newborn. Afterward, the lawsuit alleges punitive actions and restrictions were imposed on the women who helped.

Read at www.theguardian.com