Mystery Illness: One Prisoner Dead

This happened only miles away from our very own J.J.

This is sad.  This is scary.  This is prison life.

Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.  

Please keep inmates in your thoughts and prayers.  

"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them."  Hebrew 13:3

A mysterious illness has led officials to restrict the movements of more than 150 inmates at the Lowell Correctional Institution in northern Marion County while the state Department of Corrections and state Department of Health investigate.

Misty Cash, a spokeswoman for the DOC, said some inmates at the women's prison are experiencing “flu-like symptoms.”

Because the problem has not been diagnosed, Cash said 156 inmates have been restricted in R Dorm. That does not mean all 156 have contracted the unknown illness.

An inmate from R Dorm, Yvonne Eugena McBride, 26, died Wednesday from what family members were told was pneumonia.

Yvonne Eugena McBride, 26

Cash confirmed McBride's death, but because of federal privacy laws could not disclose if the woman's death was connected to the mystery illness.

She would only say that McBride died Wednesday at Ocala Regional Medical Center.

Eugene McBride said he received a call on that day from a prison chaplain informing him of his daughter's death. McBride said he asked about the cause of death and was told it was pneumonia. He said he hasn't heard anything from Lowell officials.

Cash said the sickness was detected on Tuesday after someone reported being sick.

Craig Ackerman, a spokesman for Florida Department of Health in Marion County, said his office was notified about the condition at Lowell on Wednesday and is assisting the DOC with the investigation.

Ackerman described it as an “influenza-like illness.” He said officials await laboratory results.

McBride's sister, Raegime, said she visited her sister in June and someone told her that her sister was too weak to get up. She said she insisted on seeing her sister and Yvonne McBride later showed up, telling her that she was weak and had been denied a request for medical help.

Yvonne McBride was arrested in January and charged as a principal to robbery with a deadly weapon, Marion County court records show. She was found guilty in June and sentenced to 55 months in prison, followed by two years of probation.

She arrived at Lowell on or about June 20.

A few comments attached to this story:

Joe Ray · Valley Forge Christian CollegeMs.McBride's case is commonplace at Lowell Correctional Institution, Annex, and Reception Center. Many women acquire breathing problems, asthma, etc because of the lack of cleanliness and mold. The prison cleans it up for official visitors and hides the female prisoners so they won't complain about the situations. The prison staff, including the warden, blame any mistakes made by them on the female inmates. Cheryl Welch was admitted there last June with cancer. She received her first treatment this past March. While they're at it, investigate the deaths of Sheila York and Beatrice Jones, who both died while being detained at Lowell. There are many more who die without public knowledge. Lowell has a mold issue and the warden, Gus, refuses to deal with it. Since the prisons saved money by neglecting feminine products and reducing toilet paper, they should have added cleaning products to the list. On April 11, some of the youth offenders were beaten by guard(s), either Harvey or Supis(?). Robin Thomas, a one armed woman, had her face slammed into a concrete floor on March 15, supposedly by a guard named Driggers, while handcuffed. All over an empty catsup container. Thomas was placed in isolation for 3 weeks after having her face slammed. Christy Ochoa lost a finger while working in the kitchen. The guards waited all day before sending her to the hospital. She was unable to get her finger seed on because it rotted. Yet, a guard had a finger sliced and was able to get it sewed on. When women put in medical emergencies or sick calls, sometimes it takes 3-6 days before they are seen. When a medical emergency is declared, like on July 11, some guards threaten to place the women in isolation. Then they die due to medical neglect. The state makes false neglect charges against citizens, yet their employees abuse and/or cause people to die weekly. I have previously emailed Dennis Baxley and Charlie Stone about this yet received no response. Big surprise there.

Jade Floyd · Alachua, Florida

There is something seriously wrong with this! I truly believe, without a single doubt, that Lowell staff blatantly ignored Yvonne's illness and delayed initiating transportation to the hospital until it was far too late. This so-called "mystery illness" was a direct result of the deplorable conditions that Marion County Jail and Lowell inmates are forced to live in, as well as frighteningly insufficient medical care, and an overall lack of empathy and basic human decency from the jail/prison staff. Also, let me address the "She shouldn't have broken the law and been locked up in the first place"-type comments that I know people will make: Everybody makes mistakes. Let ye who is without sin cast the first stone. She was sentenced to prison for 55 months by a judge who deemed that appropriate for her crime. Instead, she received the death penalty. This young woman could have been and SHOULD have been saved from her premature demise. Rest in peace, my kind friend. Gone, but NEVER forgotten.

 

Shatara Vereen · · College of Central Florida

I am so hurt by this, its always sad to lose someone unexpectedly but young flowers who never get the chance to fully bloom hurt the worst.... Prayers go out to her family.....

 

Kent Kelly · Top Commenter · Garfield Senior High, Woodbridge, VA

Lowell is full of cockroaches, mice, and rats.

Raymond Coley · · Tri County High School

Lawsuit Time? Poor Health Care!

 

Read this story at Ocala.com!