Two Female Inmates Lament Conditions At MRRJ

Middle River Regional Jail

I just received copies of two letters written by women at the Middle River Regional Jail, passed on to me this morning by a concerned parent whom I have known for several years and whose daughter I have visited at the request of a local prison ministry. The second letter is by one of the women in her dorm pod.

To whom it may concern:

I am currently an inmate at Middle River Regional Jail. Since I arrived a month ago conditions have gone from bad to worse. When I arrived I stayed in a filthy intake cell for six days with no access to a shower. I have been in an open pod now for two weeks and am honestly concerned for my health and safety at this facility. A virus has been passed around the pod continuously for weeks. The ladies here have suffered for weeks at a time with fevers up to 102 without medications even though they have repeatedly sent request forms to medical. Even after finally seeing a nurse and/or a doctor, medicine, or the correct medicine, was still not administered. Requests for bleach or other disinfectant to kill any germs were also denied.

This facility is overcrowded and cannot adequately accommodate the female inmates who keep arriving. The indoor recreation room where we are being housed has been turned into a female pod with no showers, phones, working TV's and with only one restroom to accommodate 32 women. We were also not able to access the commissary to obtain hygiene and other products.

I have serious concerns about living conditions at Middle River and feel someone needs to address this situation immediately.

- a concerned female inmate

To whom this may concern:

I am writing out of concern for myself and fellow inmates here at MRRJ.

I was sent here on a sanction from Drug Court for 20 days. I was being treated for a bladder tumor prior to coming here, which was very painful. I was denied medical help six times and was told I was faking my illness, even though medical had documentation of my not only having a bladder issue but kidney damage as well.

During this time, twelve of us were put into a makeshift pod with no showers, one toilet and no phones. After a week they decided to switch people from this pod to another open pod, which resulted in several people becoming infected with lice within two different pods.

During lunch two different women from our pod found grub works in their broccoli, and we had to get our drinking water from sinks where we wash hands and brush our teeth.

We are stuck here on the inside, hoping our complaints can be heard by the appropriate people on the outside.

Thank you for your concern.