For-Profit Prison Allows Woman To Die After Refusing To Give Her HIV Medication

Kim Bellware, reporting for The Washington Post:

A federal civil rights lawsuit filed [two weeks ago] against the for-profit jail alleges Barlow-Austin died following 10 weeks of abuse and neglect during which she suffered inhumane conditions and “deliberate indifference” by jail staff that left her emaciated, blind and unable to walk.

When Barlow-Austin was taken into custody on a probation violation April 5, 2019, she had been managing HIV and mental health issues with regular medication and had otherwise healthy vitals, according to the complaint. She was not given her full therapy of medication in the jail, and staff failed to follow up on an outstanding request for her health records for more than a month.

For-profit prisons are tantamount to modern day slavery.