Althouse: ""Just imagine going through the trauma of delivering a baby, screaming for help, people are within earshot, and no one comes to your aid..."

May 5, 2019

""Just imagine going through the trauma of delivering a baby, screaming for help, people are within earshot, and no one comes to your aid..."

"... from 4 a.m., when the contractions start, until 10 a.m. All the while knowing people are in earshot."

Said Chief Assistant Public Defender Gordon Weekes, quoted in "Mentally ill woman gave birth alone in isolated jail cell, Broward public defender says" (Miami Herald).

56 comments:

Mike Sylwester said...: That child was born a multi-millionaire.; 5/5/19, 7:32 AM
Ralph L said...: Broward County Sheriff's Office. Now what have we heard about them before?

Not to excuse their gross incompetence, but women have been mentally ill for a few thousand years and still managed to give birth alone.; 5/5/19, 7:40 AM
Fernandinande said...: Article: "A jailed and pregnant mentally ill woman was forced to deliver her child alone in an “isolation cell” last month as corrections officers ignored her cries for help,"

Other article: "Finkelstein alleged that, instead of rushing Jackson to a hospital when she began complaining of contractions, staff reached out to a doctor who only made his way to the jail at 7:22 a.m. April 10."

Elsewhere it said the doctor took 4 hours to arrive, so the jail dweebs apparently called the doctor immediately when the crazy criminal started complaining, and didn't ignore her.

Which one is fake news? Probably both.; 5/5/19, 7:42 AM
Bob Boyd said...: Maybe they were trained to wait outside and not go in.; 5/5/19, 7:43 AM
Fernandinande said...: The staff didn't ignore her and the doctor got there about 3 hours before the future crazy criminal was born. Maybe he waited outside the cell...; 5/5/19, 7:44 AM
Ken B said...: Who runs the Broward County jail?; 5/5/19, 7:46 AM
tim in vermont said...: On the other hand, how many screaming using manipulating bullshitters have these people been exposed to? To all of those horrified, maybe you should work their jobs for a few months.; 5/5/19, 7:46 AM
Mark said...: The doctor got there 3 hours earlier? Where do you get that?

"At 7:22 a.m. that morning, Finkelstein said, the doctor said he was on his way. Then at 9 a.m., about an hour before she gave birth, the woman said she was bleeding and still alone in her cell."; 5/5/19, 7:50 AM
Darrell said...: It's like Chuck caterwauling.
You eventually learn to ignore his crap.; 5/5/19, 7:53 AM
Anne in Rockwall, TX said...: What is wrong with Broward County?; 5/5/19, 7:53 AM
MadisonMan said...: If the lawyer is representing the new mother, I suspect there is bias in his account.; 5/5/19, 7:54 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Like Nobody (the commentator....not just any nobody) said. YOU try doing their jobs.

There are people screaming and wailing all the time in jail for no reason. They go back and see if anyone is bleeding or been stabbed. No? Then STFU!! If the person still wants to bang their head on the wall and howl at the moon. Go for it.

Perhaps the jailers have had some previous experience with our "mentally ill" woman. Crying wolf and all that.

In addition, it seems that they actually did call for medical. A doctor who didn't show up right away. Probably he/she was attending to other people in more life threatening situations. Is is Florida after and we have all read the antics of FLORIDA MAN.; 5/5/19, 7:54 AM
Tommy Duncan said...: Blogger Mike Sylwester said...

"That child was born a multi-millionaire."

That child was born a cocaine addict, having endured 9 months of drug abuse in the womb.; 5/5/19, 7:56 AM
rehajm said...: On the other hand, how many screaming using manipulating bullshitters have these people been exposed to?

My thought, too. A tough job they have where you have to grow accustomed to screams and manipulation. None of which excuses their lack of attention.; 5/5/19, 7:57 AM
rhhardin said...: It's a woman-in-pain story.; 5/5/19, 7:59 AM
rhhardin said...: The question is whether the not separating families policy will keep the baby in prison now.; 5/5/19, 8:01 AM
Bob Boyd said...: The article is poorly written, contradictory and confusing.
Still, it seems to me, if a woman is in late stage pregnancy and bleeding, she should be sent to a hospital. Why that didn't happen needs be investigated.; 5/5/19, 8:10 AM
Wince said...: I went to the Hospital ER with a kidney stone at 2am and was not taken in until 9am.

I writhed and moaned in pain in the outer waiting area for 7 hours, in clear ear-shot of the everyone, including the staff.

Later, a friend's wife later told me she had kidney stone when she gave birth, and the stone was more painful than the child.

Where's my pile of money?; 5/5/19, 8:14 AM
Fernandinande said...: None of which excuses their lack of attention.

The same lawyer claims that she was not ignored.

The doctor got there 3 hours earlier? Where do you get that?

The vague wording of the articles implies they're trying to hide something - or they could be shitty writers. Probably both.

Kid was born at 10 AM (even that simple statement is poorly expressed in the articles), and "a doctor who only made his way to the jail at 7:22 a.m. April 10."

I take "made his way to the jail" as meaning that that's when the doctor got there: 7:22 AM. It's a pretty exact time, yes? "Made" is past tense, meaning he's is there.

"Started making his way" or "left for the jail" would mean that he left for the jail at 7:22, so he'd still get there before 10am - either that or there were several hours of travel involved for an on-call doctor, which doesn't make much sense.

In any case, "correction officers ignored her cries for help", is false, yes?; 5/5/19, 8:16 AM
Darrell said...: We might have to tweak our shut-up-or-I'll-give-you-something-to-really-moan-about policy.

--Broward County; 5/5/19, 8:21 AM
Paco Wové said...: "The article is poorly written, contradictory and confusing"

Often a good indication that it's propaganda trying to push a particular storyline.; 5/5/19, 8:25 AM
Paco Wové said...: On the other hand, given the current state of "journalism", maybe it's the best the author can do.; 5/5/19, 8:26 AM
rehajm said...: The same lawyer claims that she was not ignored.

I won't fall for the appeal to authority, though I can't read the story behind the adwall. Did anyone know she was pregnant? Were there contingencies planned in case she went into labor? Is the public defender lying that she was on her own for six hours during labor? No to any of these and it's a failure of care.; 5/5/19, 8:26 AM
Darrell said...: Was she morbidly obese like that high school girl that gave birth in a clothing department and she didn't even know she was pregnant?; 5/5/19, 8:29 AM
Anonymous said...: I'd think this might rise to "cruel and unusual punishment" and see her free if her alleged crime would otherwise have her jailed.; 5/5/19, 8:39 AM
tim in vermont said...: None of which excuses their lack of attention.

I suggest you head right on down to the jail and take one of these jobs then. Each time one of the prisoners says something to you, you go ahead and believe them.; 5/5/19, 8:40 AM
tim in vermont said...: see her free if her alleged crime would otherwise have her jailed.

Nothing more eminently sensible than giving a mentally ill person a pile of cash and their freedom!; 5/5/19, 8:43 AM
Fernandinande said...: Here's a less poorly written article:

Jackson, 34, and a mother of three who has struggled with drug addiction and homelessness, was being held for trespassing [usually means burglary] and drug possession charges.

Jackson’s mother, Shirley Nixon, who said her daughter suffers from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

At 3:16 a.m., the staff left a message for an on-call physician, who works for Wellpath, a contractor tasked with providing medical and behavioral healthcare services, according to Finkelstein's letter.

They didn't speak to the physician until 7:22 a.m., and Jackson reported she was bleeding about 9 a.m., but remained isolated in her cell, Finkelstein said.

++

So it sounds like the on-call doctor fucked up.; 5/5/19, 8:45 AM
tim in vermont said...: Some people’s brains just don’t work properly, in the thinking department, in the consequences department, even in the whole “If A then B” department. This lady was pregnant and ready to give birth and her nesting instinct sent her to a jail cell?; 5/5/19, 8:45 AM
gilbar said...: Broward County Sheriff's Office

hey! cut them some slack!
They had to wait until the lady ran out of rounds; wouldn't want to get hit by a baby!; 5/5/19, 8:48 AM
gilbar said...: was being held for trespassing [usually means burglary] and drug possession charges.

you know, in a Lot of modern towns, they wouldn't have held her for such minor charges (less than $750 stolen); and she would have had the baby on the street (and probably bled out); 5/5/19, 8:50 AM
tim in vermont said...: schizophrenia.

Let’s all pretend that this was Rebecca of Sunny Brook Farms so as to really crank up the outrage. More like Rebecca of Donnybrook Farms.; 5/5/19, 8:51 AM
mockturtle said...: Has anything good ever happened in Broward County, FL,?; 5/5/19, 8:52 AM
tim in vermont said...: mockturtle said...
Has anything good ever happened in Broward County, FL,?

I do seem to remember one night on a beach in Ft Lauderdale in the early ‘80s.; 5/5/19, 9:04 AM
Rabel said...: There some real assholes in this comment thread.; 5/5/19, 9:16 AM
Darrell said...: There some real assholes in this comment thread.

Wait 'til Chuck shows up.; 5/5/19, 9:18 AM
Bob Boyd said...: I do seem to remember one night on a beach in Ft Lauderdale in the early ‘80s.

It couldn't have been that good if you remember it.; 5/5/19, 9:19 AM
Ron Nelson said...: I think the best clue to how outraged to be about this incident is to have a better understanding of the general working conditions of the facility. The term "bedlam" originates with an English hospital for the mentally ill (http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/16879). The facility where the woman was housed could well have been a place where cries and moans of inmates were routine. Depending on the numbers of inmates, the cries of this woman may not have been out of the ordinary or even particularly distinguishable. This would be good information to know when judging the conduct of the keepers.; 5/5/19, 9:51 AM
Birkel said...: Nobody, remembering is the first sign that it wasn't memorable enough.; 5/5/19, 10:11 AM
Birkel said...: Damnit, Bob Boyd!!; 5/5/19, 10:11 AM
Anonymous said...: I hope, in the best interest of the child, legal separation proceedings have begun? A good mother would give the child a chance...

Then again, that is probably what the Florida killer's bio mom likely thought. She gave up two.; 5/5/19, 10:34 AM
tim in vermont said...: It couldn't have been that good if you remember it.

That is really a sad and pathetic admission.; 5/5/19, 10:50 AM
tim in vermont said...: There some real assholes in this comment thread

Also people with personal experience of schizophrenics.; 5/5/19, 10:56 AM
Bob Boyd said...: That is really a sad and pathetic admission.

Sorry dude, They told me Nobody likes a smart ass. I guess they were wrong.; 5/5/19, 11:30 AM
Rabel said...: Was the baby schizo?; 5/5/19, 11:33 AM
Seeing Red said...: What is in the water in Broward County? Is that the coldest, heartless and stupidest county in America?; 5/5/19, 12:09 PM
Seeing Red said...: That’s all well and good but did she look pregnant? Did she tell them?; 5/5/19, 12:12 PM
Anonymous said...: Because nobody with experience around schizophrenics would ever make jokes.
I see you borrowed Trumpit's steel trap logic generator.; 5/5/19, 12:23 PM
Rabel said...: "Did she tell them?"

She was at term and they knew. Read the SD statement. It's in one of the links above.

This is unbelievably negligent. Maybe that explains some of the reactions. Hard to believe this actually happened.; 5/5/19, 12:31 PM
RobinGoodfellow said...: Blogger Nobody said...
On the other hand, how many screaming using manipulating bullshitters have these people been exposed to? To all of those horrified, maybe you should work their jobs for a few months.

Sad to say, ths was my first reaction as well.; 5/5/19, 12:36 PM
tim in vermont said...: Sorry dude, They told me Nobody likes a smart ass. I guess they were wrong

That’s a little better, Blackout.; 5/5/19, 12:47 PM
Earnest Prole said...: Another perfect example of government competence. Hey, I've got a great idea: Let's hand over our entire health-case system to them.; 5/5/19, 1:16 PM
Bob Boyd said...: The term blackout has a negative connotation these days, especially for folks who are sticklers about remembering what they did and where they went and stuff, but in reality, even if you don't remember what happened at all, a lot of times you can piece together a general idea about just how good a time you had, which is nice.
One place I look for clues is in the terms of my probation. For example, as a result of a recent episode, I am not allowed to sing, wear a union suit with a seat flap or carry any livestock in the passenger compartment of a vehicle for five years. When I think about that, it never fails to put a big smile on my face.; 5/5/19, 1:20 PM
Megaera said...: Jails can go any number of ways to provide medical care: resident staff(doctor/nurse/PA/medic) in combinations according to demand; on-call staff (usually for night, when demand is lower; EMS/Rescue, which can arrive quickly, staffed w/ medics, and would be equipped to handle either emergency transport to a medical facility or on-site delivery, depending on circumstances. My station and others here regularly run emergency calls to our jail facility and OB issues are necessarily part of the package. There has to be a whole lot we're not being told about this case.; 5/5/19, 1:21 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Well, the woman could have had a firearm- look, the perimeter had to be secured before entering, or that the woman ran out of ammunition.; 5/5/19, 2:07 PM
Maillard Reactionary said...: Something like this happened to my wife when she woke up in Recovery after having her first knee replacement done. She was screaming in agony (the epidural wasn't where it was supposed to be--no anesthesia! Oops!) The anesthesia team (as physicians, incapable of error, of course) just looked at her like she was a bug or something. She actually thought for a moment that she'd been kidnapped by aliens.

I lit a fire under the surgeon and he ordered Fentanyl, which helped somewhat, eventually.

That anesthesia group doesn't work at that hospital any more, but I think it's safe to assume that they're in the same line of work somewhere else.

Bottom line: In an institution of any kind, no one gives a fuck whether you live or die. Plan accordingly.; 5/5/19, 4:00 PM