April 25--Luzerne County Correctional Facility employees followed policies and procedures "to ensure the safety" of an inmate and her twins, who were born inside a prison cell Jan. 27, Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis concluded Tuesday.
After Samantha Gonzalez gave birth to twins, an ambulance took the mother and the twins to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital at 9:45 a.m., and one baby died shortly thereafter, Salavantis said in a news release on her investigation. The other baby was transported by a helicopter to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville and survived, Salavantis said.
"The investigation conducted by my office revealed that the babies were born extremely prematurely resulting in multiple complications," Salavantis said. "The cause of the baby's death was extreme prematurity along with respiratory distress and cardio-respiratory failure, not any criminal activity."
Attorney Edward McNelis, who is representing the mother, has claimed prison personnel did not summon medical staff when Gonzalez, who was seven months pregnant when incarcerated, went into labor. A nurse arrived at the cell after the head of the first baby was crowning, McNelis said.
Tom Pribula, interim county manager from Jan. 2 to Feb. 28, asked Salavantis to investigate the births Feb. 13. Detectives with the district attorney's office did not interview Gonzalez, 23, of Freeland.
McNelis said he did not want county detectives to interview his client unless they agreed to only ask about what took place inside the prison. Freeland police took Gonzalez to the prison Jan. 26 for failure to appear in court in Schuylkill County on a retail theft charge.
Salavantis said the following were interviewed: prison medical staff, all involved corrections officers, inmates, paramedics, Wilkes-Barre General Hospital nurses and doctors, law enforcement personnel, coroner officials and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
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TIMELINE ACCORDING TO THE DA'S INVESTIGATION
Jan. 26, 3:15 p.m. -- Samantha Gonzalez was taken into custody by Freeland Borough police on a warrant for failing to appear in Schuylkill County Court.
5:15 p.m. -- Gonzalez was transported to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility and did inform police or the prison she was pregnant or experiencing any type of pain or discomfort. As a result of medical testing, the prison discovered Gonzalez's pregnancy. Gonzalez was taken to her cell, and her cellmate said Gonzalez remained in the cell without complaints.
Jan. 27, between 3 and 4 a.m. -- Gonzalez began feeling ill and vomiting. She told her cellmate it was not due to the pregnancy. She began to feel better and did not notify prison officials or seek medical attention.
8:30 a.m. -- Gonzalez was taken to the infirmary by a corrections officer due to new complaints of stomach cramps and additional vomiting. In the infirmary, Gonzalez was given a full exam, which did not show any signs of the beginning of the birth process. Gonzalez was eventually returned to her cell. The nurse advised her the prison physician was coming in and she would be the first to be examined.
9:15 a.m. -- A corrections officer contacted the infirmary for an emergency in Gonzalez' cell. When the nurses arrived they found Gonzalez complaining of cramping in her abdomen. An exam found Gonzalez in premature labor, and 911 was immediately called. A nurse delivered twins. An ambulance arrived shortly thereafter, and Gonzalez was immediately placed on a stretcher.
9:45 a.m. -- Gonzalez and the twins arrived at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. During the transportation, both babies were breathing, and their heartbeats were being monitored. They were also receiving oxygen from the paramedics. Following admission, one of the babies began suffering complications resulting from the premature birth and passed away shortly thereafter.
Copyright 2012 - The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
