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."
More Info on MVD – Maria
As reported, MVD has closed on Maria. A former inmate, Rebecca Dinning, worked there for 3 and half years. She was released a month ago but kept in touch with her coworkers. These inmates told her that some staff tested positive for the virus. The inmates” had a few minutes to pack their things and move to the isolation ward.”. There on Maria, all 39 women were quarantined. At that time Dinning stopped hearing from them.
A statement from ADOT “On June 18 a staff member tested positive for COVID.”. ADOT maintains” inmates follow procedures that include face coverings, temp checks, and health questions.”. Ms. Dinning says “that’s not true, she worked there until late May, and she never wore a mask even though she asked for one”. DOC said “absolutely not…..they would not issue masks”. At MVD we are literally elbow to elbow. You move your chair you hit your neighbor, there is no room we are stuffed in there.”. says Denning.
BREAKING NEWS! Sources: COVID at Hickmans and Print Shop
Staff sources report at least 4 alleged cases of COVID-19 at Hickman’s Farm. Reports say the Piestawa unit is the “new” quarantine area for the Hickman outbreak. Thay put a barricade between the 2 parts of Pie to section off confirmed cases of COVID, and women who worked there but have tests pending.
Readers, this unit shares the same ventilation/AC system. No physical barrier will keep out a virus! A Print Shop civilian worker has also allegedly tested positive. The women who work there are mostly from Cruz, but some are from minimum units too. It is unclear what the future holds for these workplaces or the inmates that labor there. If our readers’ families know more about this situation, please comment on our Facebook page.
UPDATE 18 women test + from Hickman’s
Earlier we were told Piestwa was the quarantine area for these gals, but plans change. This sourse is a COIV, that alleges that Pie is EMPTY as of this writing (6-30 10am), and all women from Pie were moved to Rosa. So reportedly, the infected ones went to Maria. Where, we don’t know.
Does it sound to you, dear readers, that the DOC has a plan? We still don’t have masks. Five months from the beginning of the Pandemic, there a few signs that say social distance. They have just started controlled feeding (no more than 2 per dining table), but they completely ignore social distancing in line. All lines.
We all touch the phones, kiosks, and microwaves…..with NO sanitizer. I wonder if the DOC knows how many of us are hiring lawyers to sue the DOC in the event of our illness or death.
COVID-19 Update
Director Shinn announced all inmates would be tested. Now, WHICH test remains to be seen. (In other words the DOC doesn’t know yet). Antibody or swab? When will the inmates be tested? Guess? Right, they don’t know.
The staff will be tested first, and by facility. Did you know that the DOC is not telling the public which prison has infected staff? Caroline Isaacs, director of AFSC, was quoted in the Republic as saying “We have an obligation to tell them that.”. Meaning the DOC should tell families of inmates the location of staff outbreaks.
Only 6% of inmates have been tested so far. We have heard from staff that Santa Maria has closed down the MVD that the inmates work at. We don’t know what the women at Maria are doing for jobs, as that was the biggest employer there.
As for masks? The insider scoop is that the Governor ordered 81,200 masks for the inmates. Roughly, 2 per person. Officially, the DOC is not saying.
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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.
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?
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
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
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.