Published: March 17, 2008 08:07 pm            

Carter to receive Rowan County female inmates

March 12, 2008 — Until further notice, female inmates from Rowan County will now be transported to the Carter County Detention Center, instead of being detained at a Montgomery County jail.

According to Rowan County Jailer Don Hall, a female from Rowan County was taken to Montgomery about one month ago, and then due to being 18-weeks pregnant, she required medical attention.

Montgomery County Jailer Evertt Dewayne Myers contacted Hall asking him to send a female matron to tend to the pregnant women.

Hall said the contract he has with Montgomery is “vague” but does state Myers’ institution would provide female officers and medical care for any female inmates from Rowan County.

“If we are going to pay for a service and that service is not rendered to us, then we don’t want to do business with them,” Hall commented. “We pay them to keep the inmates and pay for medical services.”

Myers said he agrees his jail was responsible for the woman but the situation was not the usual case.

“She had been brought here and was 18-weeks pregnant and out of drug court,” Myers commented. “She was withdrawing from drugs, and I told Don she needed to be seen by a doctor and asked that he send a female matron to come care for her and take her to see a doctor. I did have a female officer with her for a while, but that officer needed rest. I had two female officers off sick and didn’t’ have the female staff to do it. She needed to be taken to an OBGYN, instead of seeing our doctor. He refused to send a matron.”

About three weeks ago all Rowan County female inmates being detained in Montgomery were transported to the Carter County Detention Center.

“This is actually better for us,” Hall commented. “I don’t want to burn any bridges with Montgomery County because we might need them again. But, Carter County is well equipped to care for female inmates and said they would provide medical needs. In fact, they do have a registered nurse who is there throughout the week.”

Hall said the Rowan County Detention Center does have an 11-bed cell area capable of housing females, but due to the small number of females arrested in Rowan County, he said it’s more feasible to save that particular area for male inmates.

“Having a contract with another jail works better for us with the females,” he said.

Prior to the pregnant female being transported to Carter County she was picked up by state officials and now is in their care as a state inmate.

        

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