Woman Sues After Being Forced to Give Birth Alone in a Jail Cell

Source: Jordan Lye / Getty

Woman Is Suing After Having To Deliver Her Own Baby In A Jail Cell

According to CBS Denver, a woman who gave birth alone in her jail cell is suing after deputies and nurses reportedly ignored her cries for help during her five hours of labor.

Surveillance video shows Diana Sanchez lying down on her cell bed, crying out in pain before she pulls off her pants and delivers a baby.

In a federal lawsuit, Sanchez states that she first alerted jail staff that she was experiencing contractions at 5:00 a.m. The lawsuit also says that Sanchez spoke with Denver deputies and Denver Health nurses over eight times that morning, informing them every time that she was experiencing contractions.

Three hours later Sanchez’s water broke, at which point she again attempted to alert staff. An absorbent pad is slid under her door for her to put on her bed about 45 minutes before she gave birth. After she gives birth, a nurse walks in and picks up the baby.

The federal lawsuit says that jail officials “cruelly chose convenience over compassion” by not calling for an ambulance after Sanchez’s water broke and she was bleeding.