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Alabama woman sues alleging she gave birth on prison floor as guards watched (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 1 week ago by velma@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/news@lemmy.world
30 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The lawsuit, filed by Pregnancy Justice on behalf of McElroy and her daughter, further claims that medical staff gave her only a diaper and Tylenol while she endured severe pain and worried about the safety of her baby.

According to the complaint, another inmate eventually assisted McElroy in delivering a baby girl who was not breathing when she was born on the prison floor, as prison guards watched. The filing says two women housed in the same pod attempted to revive the newborn by removing mucus from her mouth and rubbing her until she finally cried.

The complaint also alleges that, after the delivery, a guard told the women: “Y’all should’ve pushed that motherfucking baby back in” and punished the women on the cell block, prohibiting them from going outside and to religious services, and revoking phone privileges.

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[-] grue@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

McElroy, who was being held on charges stemming from an allegation of substance use during pregnancy

"You've been accused of potentially harming your baby, so we're going to deny you medical care to make sure of it!"

Fucking barbaric. Every single one of the law enforcement personnel involved ought to be [redacted].

[-] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Allow me. "Fucking barbaric. Every single one of the law enforcement personnel involved ought to be executed."

[-] Aneb@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Yeah this ain't Meta we can be as specific as we want

[-] youcantreadthis@quokk.au 2 points 1 week ago

Every pig ever they're all like thus they just don't all show it

[-] Triton420@mander.xyz 12 points 1 week ago

I’d bet those guards consider themselves pro life

[-] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 9 points 1 week ago

I bet they'd beat a woman to death for having an abortion

[-] velma@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 week ago

They punished the other women who helped with the birth, so yeah.

[-] Pat_Riot@lemmy.today 4 points 1 week ago

And deeply christian

[-] Gullible@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

As my mother used to say, deep as the deepest one. Never much cared for calling people or things satanic, but she loved it for a minute

[-] frongt@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

...Cthulu?

[-] dreksob@feddit.online 8 points 1 week ago

This is what republicans mean by "protecting women"

[-] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 6 points 1 week ago

The prison system needs to be abolished

[-] Insekticus@aussie.zone 2 points 1 week ago

It's built to dehumanize the inmates. Capitalism can't function without it and until it is burnt to the ground, it'll keep happening.

[-] defaultusername@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

What are your thoughts on reforming it to the level of the Norweigen system instead of abolishing in an absolute sense?

I'd like to hear an argument as to why that, combined with abolishing capitalism in favor of a system that prioritizes mutual aid, such as anarchism, wouldn't work, especially when it comes to violent criminals or power seekers/exploiters.

[-] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It would be up to the community. If anything anarchism is the only form of government that is resistant to bad actors "taking it over" because it would just result in what is essentially a village cult while the sane communities cut ties with them. There cannot be a permanent council or alliance of communities that govern their spheres of influence or else you aren't really practicing anarchism as you've just built an unnecessary hierarchy.

Edit: but to clarify, the community would ultimately choose how to deal with these members. Whatever method, good or bad, that may be.

[-] youcantreadthis@quokk.au 0 points 1 week ago

No I think weshpuld keep one death camp for all of it's enforcers and advocates I don't want to live in a world with that scu m they need to die

[-] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 1 points 1 week ago

To abolish something you must be rid of it in its entirety.

[-] katzimir@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Seeing lots of dehumanizing wording here. I think it is important to acknowledge that this behaviour - as disgusting as it is - is very very very human. Humans who abuse other humans under the excuse of being the better humans because morals each group uses for themselves to justify dehumanizing the other group. only if we are aware of how the human condition is affecting how we approach the world can we find a way to make this world a place that holds hope for those who are not in power! Also: pigs are great creatures that dont display antisocial behaviour like seen here.

[-] Tempus_Fugit@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

America really has a way of making you a misanthrope. Disgusting demons purposely put in positions of power.

[-] EtAl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 week ago

Apparently, the bedrock limit of my opinion of humanity has another bedrock.

[-] Cris_Citrus@piefed.zip 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Thats... Maybe a new depth of just how traumatic of experiences we as humans can subject eachother to....

Holy fucking Christ man.

[-] velma@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 week ago

She was afraid she was going to die on the floor and never see her other children again.

[-] CentipedeFarrier@piefed.social 3 points 1 week ago

Which is a legit concern, birth is a major medical event with possible complications galore even if it goes well, and literally an emergency in many cases. Women die during childbirth all the time even with the best care.

[-] youcantreadthis@quokk.au 1 points 1 week ago

You have never worked with populations targeted by police this is pretty normal for them it just doesn't happen to straight cis white women with housing very often I've seen worse this calendar month on three separate occasions this is literally every cop I won't even tell you my stpry

[-] Cris_Citrus@piefed.zip 1 points 1 week ago

Yeah thats fair, our system sucks shit and its a common problem that horrible things only get coverage when they happen to cis/hetero-normative white people, but does horrific shit to poor minorities all the time without anyone hearing about it :(

I don't work in social work and fortunately none of my friends are without housing, so its not something I'd hear about happening to people

[-] morysal@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Even people who fully support tough prison systems should be able to agree this is the kind of thing that makes a country look morally broken.

[-] Wataba@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

America is riddled with inhuman scum.

[-] Washedupcynic@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago

I read the whole article, twice, to make sure I wasn't hallucinating how fucked up this was.

McElroy, who was being held on charges stemming from an allegation of substance use during pregnancy

She was put in jail on charges stemming from potentially endangering the life of her child via drug use. However, when it came to actually protecting the life of the child in question;

According to the complaint, another inmate eventually assisted McElroy in delivering a baby girl who was not breathing when she was born on the prison floor, as prison guards watched. The filing says two women housed in the same pod attempted to revive the newborn by removing mucus from her mouth and rubbing her until she finally cried.

Motherfucking guards watching this unfold, then did jack shit to help the child when it wasn't breathing. God fucking damn. Stop the world I want to get off.

If anyone is interested, you can get the court filings here, through the pregnancy justice website.

[-] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago

Uh oh. She’s white.

[-] MrShankles@reddthat.com 1 points 1 week ago

Unnecessarily divisive

this post was submitted on 13 May 2026
56 points (100.0% liked)

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