A Rikers Island inmate with suspected scarlet fever died after jail employees repeatedly blocked medical staff from treating her, in accordance with advocates and information.
Charizma Jones, 23, died final week — greater than two months after EMS personnel rushed her from the troubled jail to a Queens hospital, a letter from attorneys with The Authorized Help Society obtained by The Submit states.
The letter despatched Monday to the Board of Correction raises considerations whether or not jail employees letting a fever-riddled, rash-covered Jones languish untreated for 2 days led to her dying — a query additionally raised by MK Kaishian, an legal professional for Jones’ household.
“Many troubling questions encompass Ms. Jones’ dying, and we be part of the Authorized Help Society in calling for an intensive investigation by the Board of Correction as we proceed to assemble essential data on behalf of her household,” Kashian informed The Submit.
“However no matter else could also be revealed going ahead, it’s patently apparent that the [Department of Correction] denied medical care to a critically sick particular person, and there’s no excuse by any means for this contemptuous and inhumane conduct.”
Medical information obtained by The Submit element repeated makes an attempt by metropolis Correctional Medical Companies staff to deal with Jones — who had a rash protecting her physique, a 102-degree fever, sore throat, chills and vomiting — throughout Might 5 and Might 6 within the jail’s infirmary.
However DOC employees refused to let the medical staff even enter Jones’ infirmary cell to verify her important indicators as a result of they deemed her a safety threat after she allegedly assaulted a correction officer, the Authorized Help letter states.
“A number of makes an attempt have been made to do vitals,” medical information state. “DOC officer on responsibility refused to opn (sic) cell.”
Jones, who had been given antibiotics and a steroid to deal with presumptive scarlet fever, finally was sped to Elmhurst Hospital Might 6 inside an hour of jail employees as soon as once more refusing to permit medical staff verify her important indicators, the Authorized Help letter states.
She remained hospitalized for months and her situation worsened past the scarlet fever initially suspected by medical staff, in accordance with additional medical information obtained by The Submit.
Medical employees believed Jones had scarlet fever, though the analysis is unconfirmed, a supply informed The Submit.
Scarlet fever is a bacterial illness with sandpaper-like rash that spreads over the physique, in accordance with Mount Sinai, along with different signs — lots of which have been exhibited by Jones. The illness was previously a extreme childhood illness however is now readily handled with antibiotics.
However information point out that Jones, who had a historical past of liver failure, had developed a rash as potential allergic response from amoxicillin — the antibiotic she acquired for potential scarlet fever.
A health care provider at New York-Presbyterian’s Weill Cornell burn heart wrote July 10 that Jones’ worsening pores and skin situation was coupled with a number of organ failure, making her unlikely to outlive, information present.
She died July 14.
Jones hailed from the Bronx and was serving a one-year sentence for assault, in accordance with the New York Day by day Information, which first reported the Authorized Help letter and information.
DOC and Correctional Medical Companies representatives didn’t return The Submit’s requests for remark.
Mayor Eric Adams, when requested about Jones’ dying throughout an unrelated information convention Tuesday, stated his coronary heart goes out to her household.
“Anytime you lose somebody, irrespective of in the event that they’re incarcerated or not, it’s simply, it’s horrible,” he stated.
“There needs to be a assessment. If there was somebody that blocked her medical care, I don’t know of a time that you must block somebody’s medical care,” he stated, earlier than emphasizing she didn’t die on Rikers Island.
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