California prison authorities are investigating the recent deaths of five female inmates within a one-month period at a Central Valley facility already accused of providing shoddy medical care.
Although there is no indication of foul play in the apparently unrelated deaths, prison-rights advocates linked the fatalities to a pattern of inadequate attention to the medical problems of women inmates.
'This is reflective of the low value society places on providing health care to women in prisons,' said Cynthia Chandler, an attorney and co-director of Justice NOW in Oakland.
All five women, ages 30 to 46, had been inmates of the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla and died between Nov. 9 and Dec. 9.
The eldest of the five was Pamela Coffey, who died Dec. 2 in front of panicky cellmates who were allegedly unable to get help from the prison medical staff. Witnesses told prison-rights groups that Coffey was incoherent, vomiting and suffering from diarrhea, but that the medically trained prison officer made light of her situation only a half-hour before she died.
Department of Corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton declined to comment on the charges until an autopsy and incident report on Coffey's death is completed.
Thornton said three of the five women were suffering from terminal illnesses, but two others -- including Coffey -- died suddenly in their cells, for reasons yet to be determined. Stephanie Hardie, 34, also died suddenly in her cell, on Dec. 9.
During an October hearing of the Joint Legislative Committee on Prison Construction and Operations, female inmates complained of sexual abuse and negligent medical care, prompting State Sen. Cathie Wright, R-Simi Valley, to comment, 'What I heard today curdled my stomach.'
Activists yesterday called on the committee chairman to conduct an independent investigation of all five deaths.
Thornton pointed out that the Central California Women's Facility serves as a hospital and hospice for women throughout the state prison system. The five recent deaths bring the total at the facility thus far this year to 13. Last year, nine women died there, and in 1998, there were 10 deaths.
But activists said the recent spate of deaths reinforces their concern about the use of officers as medical personnel, technically called medical technical assistants, or MTAs.