(Whew. I just finished a 2-hour interview with this new mom….and I’m exhausted. I’m forwarding this to the media, Judge Silver, Director Thornell, and Governor Hobbs.).

Ms. Thomas in her own words. “I’ve never been in prison before, I’ve never been in trouble before.

My horror story started at intake in Perryville prison. I told them I was 31 weeks pregnant, I hadn’t eaten in 10 hours, and I was dehydrated. They insisted I take a glucose tolerance test anyway. I passed out and hit the floor. When I woke up I was with the charge nurse who was visibly worried. Because I was pregnant, she called an ambulance and I was taken to the hospital, where I received 4 units of fluids.

Immediately upon returning to the prison I was assigned a room in R and A. There was no mattress on the steel bunk, and when I asked the guard where it was he slammed the door in my face. That night I slept on a blanket.

The “extra” pregnancy diet is bread, milk, and peanut butter. I happen to be deathly allergic to beans and peanut butter. Who knew prison food would have beans at every meal? I told the guards every day I couldn’t eat this stuff, but for 18 days I was ignored. Me and my baby got very hungry.

At last, when I was transferred to San Carlos unit I thought maybe I can eat now. Nope, a White Shirt (Trinity employee) named Price tormented me. On my first day on Carlos, I requested my special no beans, no peanut butter, pregnancy diet. Price snarled at me and said, “Go to medical and put in an H and R”.

After four times of being rebuffed, I took a regular tray because I was starving. I told this food nightmare to the prison OB/GYN and apparently, he talked to COIV Senna. Ms. Senna seemed helpful and spoke to Price. But, the next day at the kitchen Price told me ” You’re not in my book, go away!”

By this time my family had put money on my books and I discovered the commissary. A very high-priced prison store, where at last I was able to feed myself and my baby. I never set foot in the prison kitchen again. Why should I fight for milk and bread?

I was pressured constantly by the OB to be induced. Every time I saw him he’d give induction his best pitch, and every time I said no.

Finally, on August 12th I started having cramps and noticed bleeding. I called an ICS and was taken to medical. The nurse asked if my water had broken yet, and when I said no she wanted to send me back to the bay. Having your water break is not the only criterion for eminent birth. They didn’t check to see if I was dilated either.

For most of the day, I remained in my cube moaning in pain…contractions and bleeding continued. Again I called an ICS. I told the nurses I was going to have this baby. They offered me Tylenol and told me to rest.

Finally, at 10 pm I had enough and screamed in pain. I was put in a wheelchair, where two wise-cracking guards said, “You sure you’re pregnant?”. The night nurse said she’d have to call the Provider. At long last, near midnight, I was in an ambulance going to the hospital. I was dilated 9cm and went to delivery.

After my baby was born I asked the nurses when I was going to the Tucson facility to bond with my child. I had been pre-approved to go to this ranch for the 72-hour bonding allowed me. The nurses dismissed me and told me I was staying there for 72 hours. One nurse said, ” That program doesn’t exist anymore “. I knew that was a lie because I booked it only 2 weeks ago! A different nurse came in and confided, ” The guards just don’t want to drive all the way to Tucson.”

So I spent the next 72 hours in a hospital room trying to bond with my baby under the worst circumstances. A lot of a newborn’s time is sleeping. Every guard duo I had cussed up a storm, was loud and disrespectful. They’d pull up the blinds when my baby was trying to sleep.

I’ll never forget the clerk to COIV Senna said, “You’ll be fine….they only put the GOOD guards on maternity detail”. Well, if these were the ” good” guards, I’d hate to see the worst!

On my last day the female guard gave me my prison clothes back. Then she looked at the bag I got from the hospital. It had after-birth care products, pads, cleansers, and a breast pump. The guard dumped it all out and said I couldn’t take any of it with me! How will I take care of myself?

All of this just topped off a grueling and painful experience, where I was deprived of any sense of dignity.”