NIANTIC— A former inmate who suffered a brain injury while jailed has filed a medical-neglect claim against the Connecticut Department of Correction.
The Hartford Courant reports that 38-year-old Amy Rolon’s $7.5 million complaint alleges prison staff failed to provide her care after she suffered a seizure and repeated falls while imprisoned at the York Correctional Center in Niantic on larceny charges.
Rolon was arrested for sixth-degree larceny and failure to appear in court, and was held on $3,500 bail she couldn’t pay. While in custody, she was going through heroin withdrawal and had a court order for detoxification care upon arriving at the prison Oct. 30, 2014.
But it was not until 48 hours later on Nov. 1 that she received sustained medical attention, the newspaper reports, and by then she had fallen and hit her head several times. She was later hospitalized.
The Courant says that surveillance video later reviewed by a supervisor shows Rolon repeatedly falling out of her wheelchair and staff members not helping her up.
“Inmate crawls out of cell on hands and knees as staff are walking towards her … [Two corrections offices] walk past the inmate. Both officers staring at the inmate as they walk past and exit the unit …”
“Inmate attempts to get into wheelchair by herself. Staff do not assist,” Correctional Lt. Christopher Brunelle wrote in a report obtained by the Courant. “Inmate falls out of wheelchair and onto the floor … (E)veryone watches. No staff attempt to help her up.”
Rolon’s lawyer says his client is now severely cognitively impaired and partially paralyzed and needs intensive care.
Prison officials say protocol appears to have been violated. Four officers remain suspended with pay.
Read the full report here.
