Health Horror Stories

"These stories of health abuse are not independently verified by the editors of this website. However, all of the women have agreed to a HIPPA release to any qualified attorney willing to take their case, or to an investigative reporter from the media."
 
When is Deliberate Indifference Like Murder? How a 26-Year-Old Died at San Carlos

When is Deliberate Indifference Like Murder? How a 26-Year-Old Died at San Carlos

(Jowell Jones was only 26 years old with her whole life ahead of her when she was tragically cut down by alleged negligent health care. Many girls close to her were interviewed for this story, so this is a composite of those observations. Only first-hand eyewitness accounts are recorded. Witness stories were not verified by medical staff, nor were they available for comment.)

Over the summer of 2023, Jowell became ill with fatigue, nausea, and bloating, and had trouble even keeping water down. Her close friend said she lay there on her bunk for 3 weeks not eating and turning yellow. (jaundice.) Jowell became thin and gaunt….. described as “skin and bones”. Her friends report she put in one HNR after another, and when seen by medical, received the usual ” drink more water.”

Finally, when a blood test was done Ms. Jones was rushed to the hospital 911. The women in C2 estimate she was gone for 2 and a half months, with that time apparently spent between the hospital and IPC. During the time in hospital, she was diagnosed with leukemia and was treated with chemotherapy.

When she returned to the yard she was described as thriving and “her usual perky self.” In October of 2023, Jones received the good news that she was in remission and cancer-free! Allegedly, she complained her treatment at Carlos medical was “hit and miss.”

On Christmas day Jowell started another downward spiral with nausea, vomiting, and blisters on her lips. Jowell told Provider Johns that this felt just like “last time” and she couldn’t eat anything. Johns told her this was just a reaction to chemo and to go “back to your bunk and drink more water.” Soon, Jones developed huge swollen lips, with blood leaking out of them. She was so embarrassed that she started to wear a mask to reduce stares.

On January 10th, during one of these begging trips to medical, Steve Madrid felt pity on her and started an IV to help with her dehydration. He also observed a huge (twice the size of a softball) black growth on her calf. By this time her gums were the color of chocolate, and swelling so bad there was no way she could eat.

Allegedly, when she told a guard (we have his name) that she needed a wheelchair to get back to her cube, this guard said, “You need to walk, you’re not life or death ya know.” (Actually, the poor girl only had 36 hours to live, this incident was January 10th). Two friends held her up for the walk back. This was the way they described her “The bleeding lips, black growth on her leg, completely jaundiced, and she was bleeding so profusely out of the IV wound, that blood covered her shirt and pants.” Reportedly, only 20 minutes passed before medical called her back….they had just gotten her most recent lab results. This time Jones was in a wheelchair and was told she was going to the hospital.

You readers thought she went out 911? Oh contrare’! This woman endured 5 hours of AGONY sitting in medical waiting for a prison van and transport team. Why did it take so long? They “are short-staffed on transport guards.” Why not call an ambulance? Could it be about money???

Jowell Jones fought for her life until her family removed artificial means of keeping her alive, at 11:45pm January 13th 2024. Only 26 years old. Only had 9 months left to serve on a DUI. Another life ended in Perryville.

(Ed. note: The other allegation raised by her close friends, that we can’t verify is Three people say Jowell was desperate for a chemo treatment that was 4 weeks late. She asked why and Naphcare said, “Our pharmacy is out of that medication now.” When someone’s life is on the line, Naphcare should have found that chemotherapy drug somewhere, anywhere, and administered it to her.)

Woman Suffering Weeks Of Severe Mental Breakdown, And They Don’t Care, And They Do Nothing

Woman Suffering Weeks Of Severe Mental Breakdown, And They Don’t Care, And They Do Nothing

A minimum security dorm-style warehouse has 8×6 cubes in 12 rows x 12 columns. The cube is completely open because the partitions of this living space only come up to your hip. The security cameras can see, the guards can see, and all the residents can see every cube. There is absolutely no privacy.

A 47-year-old woman gyrates in her cube to tunes no one can hear but her. She changes tempo and strips to her underwear. This turns into a dirty dancing routine. I’m praying for a guard to come by and stop the madness so she can get help. The guards come, but they walk by without a glance in her direction. Now, she’s tearing every piece of paper into bits and throwing it on her bed. Her dances are frenetic activity… touchdown gestures…pointing to the ceiling… gangster moves..acting out shooting a gun…repeat. Her voices tell her to get on the floor to fold and refold a rag. There’s quite a conversation going on with all the imaginary people in her head. She’s wearing herself out trying to be all the people in this group….jump there…move back..talk to someone over there…no over here.

The neighbors in adjoining cubes are numb to it. Or they’re tired of watching. Or are they afraid they might be next?

Last time they came to get her was awful. (Please see article *The most BRUTAL thing I’ve ever seen in Perryville*) But they brought her back after 72 hours, no counseling, no medication. This mentally ill person has 3 more years of incarceration. I’m trying to imagine what she’ll be like if, and when she gets out. Will she be like some women I see going to the gate, with the thousand-yard stare? A walking zombie? Will she kill herself like the woman did on Cruz recently?

This country doesn’t care about its most vulnerable citizens, and red states like Arizona care even less.

Woman:”I’m in a wheelchair forever, thanks to DOC’s medical vendors’ neglect and malpractice “

Woman:”I’m in a wheelchair forever, thanks to DOC’s medical vendors’ neglect and malpractice “

M.J.’s medical nightmare began July 22, 2021. She woke up with no balance and her right leg dragging. M.J. immediately called an ICS and was seen by Provider Johnson. He diagnosed it as neuropathy without ordering an MRI or XRAY. Later that week she fell and hit her head. No wheelchair or walker was ordered to stabilize her unsteady gait.

Finally, after more mishaps and 6 months later, MJ got her MRI. The scan showed spinal cord bruising, that if not treated immediately would cause paralysis. An appointment for a neurologist was allegedly made, but 8 months later she still hadn’t been seen by one.

When her family inquired as to why, they were told it was because the DOC had made a transition from Corizon to Naphcare….and it fell between the cracks. A year and 3 months since her diagnosis, she is driven to Tucson in the Spring of 2023 for another MRI before surgery. On June 23d she finally gets her operation, but she reports no follow-up or aftercare.

Even though intensive physical therapy was ordered 3Xs per week, she only received 7 appointments total of PT. On December 7th she received the grim news from the neurologist: The bruising of the spinal cord is permanent and she will be forever wheelchair bound.

She’s only an inmate…

She’s only an inmate…

American Friends Service Committee has collected and donated much-needed supplies to prisons state-wide. Among those supplies were 1800 masks. The masks donated to Perryville however are still in the warehouse, along with masks donated by other organizations. And it...

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Unsung Hero of the Night

Unsung Hero of the Night

This is from an inmate on the San Carlos unit. It's nice to hear good news once in a while. "I would like to commend an officer for his excellent service to the well-being and safety of the inmates. His name is Marcione, and he works graveyard shift on San Carlos. All...

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Update 5-10-2020

Update 5-10-2020

We have a few reports from inside to share with you today. We just found out from 2 trusted staff about the gal with COVID-19 symptoms that got taken out of A-bay in San Carlos (reported on 5/4/2020) .....no one cleaned or disinfected her cubby! Then hours later some...

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From the 5-6-2020 Town Hall

From the 5-6-2020 Town Hall

5-6-20: Reportedly from inmates that attended a Town Hall meeting, 65+ women will get no special treatment. All chronic care individuals will be "screened" regularly for "symptoms". Covid-19 tests allegedly on site and will be "administered as deemed appropriate". As...

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Update 5/5/2020:

Update 5/5/2020:

We hear that two more inmates from the COVID-19 exposed San Pedro unit were transferred to San Carlos A Bay yesterday. Both of those inmates indicated that they finished only 12 days of the 14-day quarantine before being moved into this vulnerable population. Many of...

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Update 5-4-2020: Here we go!

Update 5-4-2020: Here we go!

Remember we mentioned in the last update that inmates from San Pedro, where 2 staffers have (supposedly) been diagnosed with COVID-19, were transferred out of the unit just 2 days after it was announced that no transfers would happen? Well...5 days later two...

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Update 4-28-2020

Update 4-28-2020

First - some good news. The two LPN's named in the previous update are now wearing masks. A repeat of the informal survey at pill call on Tuesday morning returned a 100% compliance report. Did our naming names help? No idea, but we are very happy with the report. Now...

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Update 4-24-2020

Update 4-24-2020

Maybe it's just us, but wouldn't you expect medical professionals like nurses to be at least as conscientious about personal protection as the average grocery checker? Apparently not. As recently as yesterday two LPN's were reportedly seen treating inmates and not...

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Update 4.20.2020

Update 4.20.2020

What a difference a day makes...as of this morning, 4/21/2020 , all Keefe personnel are wearing masks. Today's news from Perryville. Cleaning supplies:Two liquid hand soap dispensers have been installed. Outside. One at each end of the yard. Not sanitizer - soap. A...

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Update from Inside – 4/14/2020

Update from Inside – 4/14/2020

Here are a few notable items from inside Perryville as of this morning, 4/14/2020. We mentioned that Perryville was expecting a shipment of 200 cots to be used for COVID-19 quarantine somewhere in the complex. Yesterday, Monday, a convoy of 7 military trucks rolled up...

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Updates from Inside

Updates from Inside

As of Wednesday, 4/8/20 - San Carlos: There is a new sign outside of Medical, "Only 5 people inside at a time." Sounds good, right? It's not being enforced at all! On that same day at 6 am there were 17 people in the lab lines. At the 1:30 pm pill call there were 15...

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No Social Distancing at Perryville

No Social Distancing at Perryville

God bless email capable inmates. Families are more than happy to share their loved ones' email from the women's prison. It isn't a pretty picture. The phrase "packed together like sardines" was most prevalent. One woman looked at her unit's medical waiting area which...

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5 Comments

  1. Cynthia

    I was in prison for 17years and have seen so many people die in front of me It’s traumatic and I have PTSD from it. Medical never helped me for my heart problems, never took tests, just told me I have congested heart failure and didn’t do anything for me. I saw it every day. They never helped us, made us always feel like we were lying and would send us away. Making people work in the kitchen who have scoliosis, heart problems, people who have AIDS and Hep C as well as other STDs. There’s rat poop on our kitchen food, birds all over our trays that we eat off of making us all even sicker, black mold everywhere. We can’t breathe in our cells due to all the mold and crud in our walls, vents, and coolers. They are trying to kill us – they don’t care and the money they get for us does not go to us. There is so much more.

    I’ve been sexually attacked by the CO police officers twice. I have my whole life to account for in there and I’m surprised I made it out after 17years. They have medium inmates on max yards getting assaulted and they don’t care. They say it is due to no room. They also send you to max yard as punishment without ever getting tickets. It’s all retaliation. They will ruin your life if you don’t do what they want. They make up lies, yep the sergeants, if you refuse to work because you don’t feel good. I heard a Sergeant say “Oh you’re going to hurt yourself” then cuff her up and put her in isolation when the girl never said it. I’ve seen it all, believe that.

    Reply
    • Becca

      Hi Cynthia! I’m not sure if you’ll see this but I am so sorry for what you went through. Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your story. I would love to ask you questions as I am exploring ideas for my doctoral capstone and am interested in issues in the AZ Women’s Prison. Is there any way we could talk further?

      Reply
  2. Kayla

    That was my friend 😭 she was cool ag and funny. I feel bad I had to leave San Carlos for Cruz. But fck their medical center, the whole prison is fucked up and corrupted. I’ve been out for 8 months now and I still remember everything like yesterday especially with health care. Like can the prison do an upgrade and fix their shit or will more ppl have to die like my friend here? It’s fucked up because I knew she was having a hard time in the beginning getting her shots. We both came from the same county. She wasn’t even a criminal like person. She was fun, bright and very smart, like she could’ve went to college. She had alot planned for herself…damn I love Jowell thank for the laughs and being a loyal friend. Rest in Paradise

    Reply
    • Donnie Yellowhair

      Yeah, she was a very cool person to know. She would hug you when she saw you with a big smile. She was always cool to everyone, no hate or anger in her heart but she probably did towards ADOC health employees

      Reply
  3. Allissia

    I was incarcerated for 9 years and just released March 2024. In 2019, my stomach swelled up and I looked 9 months pregnant. They told me I had impacted stool and had me drink a laxative. The pain got worse, I couldn’t breath or walk and this went on for 2 months. My family contacted the ACLU and prison and finally in February 2020 I was sent to the hospital and diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian cancer. I was in the hospital for 10 days and started chemo. I went back to the prison and was expecting chemo every 3 weeks. It took over a 3 weeks for me to get scheduled for my next chemo. In May, I had just came back from chemo and was told I was packing up and being sent to San Carlos. I had to load and unload all of my belongings after a day of chemo and was being transferred to a yard with 1300 women. I then had surgery to remove the cancer in July and once released from the hospital was sent to Maria and put in a cell, by myself with no A/C. I had to move everything by myself and carry a chair out to take a shower. I had an incision from belly button to my pubic bone. Finally after 2 weeks, I was sent back to Carlos. I was told later that I had peritoneal cancer and not ovarian, after I had had a complete hysterectomy. I never had a follow up PET scan to make sure the cancer was gone. In March of 2023, I started seeing a new oncologist, Dr. Benjamin and he finally ordered a PET scan and saw that I had cancer again in the same area of my stomach. I had surgery again in May and started six rounds of chemo. Between the medical Dr’s John and Johnson my medical treatment at the prison was horrible. They didn’t give me anything but Tylenol and Excedrin for the pain and I had to fight to get an extra mattress and extra milk for protein shakes. If I didn’t have my family to support me and stand up for me I would have died. I applied for clemency 2 times and because I wasn’t dying in 3 months, I was refused. Something needs to change with the health system and prison.

    Reply

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