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| Poor Care Alleged in GA Inmates Death |
| By The Atlanta Journal Constitution |
| Published: 12/12/2005 |
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Two Georgia Gwinnett Detention Center inmates are alleging that shoddy medical treatment contributed to the death of their cellmate. Harriet Washington, 43, died in her cell Oct. 17 while being attended to by staff from Tennessee-based Prison Health Services, a private firm contracted by the county to provide medical care at the jail. In a Nov. 8 letter addressed to the medical unit supervisor and the Sheriff's Department's internal affairs unit, inmates Kim Holmes and Carla Dotson allege that Washington's multiple symptoms were for the most part ignored. Holmes is jailed for probation violation and drug offenses; Dotson is being detained for probation violation. Washington was being detained on cocaine possession charges. "We fulfilled all of our legal responsibilities to ensure she received the appropriate medical care," Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Stacey Kelley said last week. Kelley refused to comment on the specifics of the letter until the department's internal investigation is complete. The Sheriff's Department conducts an internal investigation after any inmate death, she said. The department still is awaiting the official autopsy results. Representatives of Prison Health Services did not return phone calls last week seeking comment. Holmes and Dotson were moved into Washington's cell about 8:30 a.m. Oct. 15. According to their letter, Washington was "extremely sick" and worsened as the day went on. The medical unit and a nurse who delivers medications at "pill call" were consulted, the letter says, but advised the women to fill out a medical request and turn it in. On Oct. 16, Washington eventually was sent to the medical unit, but was returned after an hour with no medications, according to Holmes. Several hours later medical was called again, the letter says. Washington was briefly taken back to the medical unit, the letter says, but was returned to her cell a short time later. Holmes' letter says she and Dotson continued to try to get medical attention for Washington, but were told that Washington had leukemia and nothing could be done, so she had to stay in the cell. Other times, they say, they were told that Washington "would be fine." Holmes further states that as Washington worsened and began to vomit continuously, she asked a deputy to seek medical help. The deputy returned and told her the medical department said vomiting was good for Washington. Early on Oct. 17, the letter states, Washington began screaming in pain and could not stop. According to the jail's Unusual Occurrence Report, a deputy notified medical at 2:10 a.m. and was told to bring Washington to the unit. Washington could not be moved, so the deputy pressed his "panic button" and announced a medical emergency. As he waited in Washington's cell, the report said, Washington "exhaled one loud breath and her eyes were open and fixated." The Unusual Occurrence Report states that nurses arrived at the cell at 2:44 a.m. but could not get any response from Washington. At 2:53 a.m., an ambulance was summoned. Homes' and Dotson's letter says that the medical staff decided that the hospital was necessary after the nurse announced that Washington had "no pulse." |
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