Pregnant inmate died after hours of agony in Syracuse jail

CrazierThanYou · May 16, 2010

Wow, what agony she must have endured...

In the county where I live, a guy I went to school with was a type 1 diabetic. While in jail, he was refused care and he died. Other inmate pleaded with the jailer to call an ambulance and she refused. Of course, nothing was ever done to her...

klrmom · May 16, 2010

One of my family members is in jail... he's bipolar and is denied his medication... then he gets in trouble for being violent. Hello?!?! I just don't get it sometimes... so sad.

pielęgniarka, RN · May 16, 2010

Jeez that's terrible... I suppose in prison the nurses see a lot of mental illness and that must be what they interpreted the pregnant lady's "antics" to. But not even to check vitals or anything? What is the protocol in corrections? Does the nurse call the MD with an abnormal finding during an assessment and then get the order to go to the ER? Is the nurse updated on who's schizophrenic or pregnant or have other chronic illness of any sort? Seems to me like a protocol was not followed, or maybe not in place. I think that nurse who didn't chart or do an assessment on the hysterical pregnant inmate should surrender her license and take a break from nursing ... if her license is not going to be taken away by the BON.

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · May 16, 2010

"People were coming to my house telling me about it," Smith said. "It made me think, 'Wow, change has to happen.' This time, in the name of Jesus, it will happen."

A quote from the mother regarding a previous inmate who died of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy also 14 years earlier there. But I did like the last line. God bless her.

Healsalot, BSN, RN · May 16, 2010

That's absolutely disgusting, and I hope more is done to those involved than some half-assed slap on the wrist. :mad:

foreverLaur · May 17, 2010

I don't care what someone did to land themselves in jail - as a health care provider, you do not have the ability, knowledge, or training to make a judgement call on legal issues. You have no right to decide who lives, who dies, and who deserves what punishment. Your job is to do everything in your power to save lives and give anyone the best care possible. That is how this country is, whether you like it or not.

realnursealso/LPN, LPN · May 17, 2010

Found something while reading the comments, here is the original article from the Post Standard:A pregnant inmate died Thursday morning at the Onondaga County Justice Center jail within 48 hours of being admitted into custody, Sheriff Kevin Walsh said.

Chuniece Patterson , 21, of 118 Elk St., was arrested at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday on a bench warrant for numerous mischief, weapons, theft and contempt charges, Walsh said.

At 1:45 a.m. Thursday, Patterson , complaining of shortness of breath, was seen by a registered nurse, Walsh said. Patterson was given an oxygen test and scheduled to see a doctor later that day.

There was no indication of anything life-threatening, Walsh said.

A jail deputy had a conversation with Patterson at 7:15 a.m. She did not complain of any medical problem, the sheriff said.

At 7:45 a.m., the jail deputy returned and found Patterson unresponsive on the floor of her cell. She was pronounced dead a short time later.

"We're in the process of an investigation right now, but it's definitely not a suicide or a homicide," the sheriff said. "There's no reason to believe it's anything other than a natural death."

Patterson was "a couple of months" pregnant, Walsh said.

This was Patterson 's fifth stay at the county jail this year, the sheriff said.

A man answering the door at Patterson 's home Thursday afternoon said the family had no comment.

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I think this is definately sounding like the Sheriff was trying to coverup the mistreatment, and neglect. I sure hope some heads roll over this. I hope that nurse loses her license. I'm still sitting here with my mouth hanging open.

caliotter3 · May 17, 2010

I wonder what the fact that it was her fifth stay at the jail this year had to do with her treatment or why it was mentioned. Perhaps that fact lies behind the glaring observation that she was not tended to in an appropriate manner.

jenniepaige · May 17, 2010

Why do they even bother having nurses there if they don't do their job? Or worse still, they said she was ok.

RNCoastiewife · May 17, 2010

This is just disturbing on so many levels!!

futrldnrse · Jun 5, 2010

I live here in the city where this happened and I recognize her as someone I went to high school with and it's said. I couldn't believe it when I picked up the paper and read this article how these so called healthcare professionals responded to her outcries. Jail or no jail I'm disgusted with this nurse who did nothing to help her and the guards who simply passed her off. I hope each and every last person involved loses their job especially the nurse who should have her license revoked because as nurses we took an oath and she obviously hasn't upheld it. The part that really got me about her is that went back and charted late entries about the situations, I hope the appropriate state officials including the NYS board of nursing gets involved.