Baby born inside Connecticut prison that sparked legislation for pregnant inmates

CONNECTICUT - An inmate gave birth inside a Connecticut prison after her labor proceeded too quickly to get her to a hospital, officials said.

The woman, who was not identified, was admitted to the York Correctional Institution on Friday on charges of violating a protective order, the state Department of Correction said in a news release.

A medical assessment determined that the woman, who was in her early 20s, was about eight months pregnant and was detoxing from opiates, the department said. She was assigned to the medical unit, where she could be closely monitored.

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The woman went into labor on Saturday, and staff members called 911. The baby was delivered before the ambulance arrived, the Department of Correction said. The woman and the baby were later taken to a hospital.

"Following policy and established protocols for expectant incarcerated mothers, our nursing staff safely delivered a baby during a situation where active labor to delivery was literally just a couple of minutes," Department of Correction Commissioner Angel Quiros said. "I commend the facility custody and health services staff for the quick response and remarkable care they provided."

Another birth at the Yorktown facility in 2018 sparked protest and lead to legislation to better serve pregnant, incarcerated women in the state.

In the 2018 case, Connecticut agreed to pay the family of Tianna Laboy $250,000 after they filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging she had been denied and delayed in getting the medical care she needed, reported The Connecticut Mirror.

Laboy repeatedly told staff that she had stomach pains between Feb. 6 and Feb 13 but was only given a pitcher of ice water and a hot cloth. She delivered her child into a toilet bowl early in the morning of Feb. 13.

With the Associated Press