Fulton County jail: Former inmates allege horrific, inhumane conditions
Inmates claim jail guards ignored vomiting women
The Fulton County Sheriff Office has launched an investigation after former inmates claimed they faced overcrowded cells and contaminated water, according to a department spokesperson.
ATLANTA - Two women who spent a weekend inside the Fulton County jail are speaking out, describing their stay inside the facility as a horrific and inhumane nightmare.
Fulton County Jail allegations
What we know:
Former inmates Amber Tyer and Connie Lott said their two to three nights inside the facility were absolutely miserable. The two mothers, who both hold down regular jobs, described a severe overcrowding crisis where 15 women were forced to share just six mats. Lott explained that the cells were so packed that women slept directly on the hard concrete floor. To survive the ordeal, the women eventually pushed their limited mats together so every person could at least lie down.
The women also described atrocious food, a filthy environment, and contaminated drinking water. Tyer recalled asking a worker what was in the water, and the worker claimed a chemical was present. According to Tyer, the worker warned her not to swallow too much of it, though the staff member claimed it should not be too toxic.
The former inmates also noted a severe lack of medical care. Both women witnessed visibly sick inmates vomiting and detoxing from drugs without receiving any attention from facility staff. The Fulton County Sheriff's Office stated it takes these allegations seriously and officials have launched an investigation.
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the specific chemical content of the facility's water supply or responded directly to the specific staffing levels during the weekend in question. It remains unclear what specific disciplinary actions or operational changes may result from the sheriff's office investigation.
Inmates describe lack of compassion
What they're saying:
The standard quotes from the former inmates paint a vivid picture of the conditions inside the facility.
"Once you get in there. It is like I would rather die than sit here," Tyer said.
"We slept on the mat for days. It was so many of us — there is not enough mats for everybody," Lott said. "So we decided to put our mats together, so everybody could lay down."
Lott added that she had to sit and lie on a hard floor for three days without eating.
"It is the lack of compassion, the lack of decency for human life," Lott said.
The women also expressed horror at how staff treated medically fragile inmates.
"She was vomiting... she was in her sleep just choking and vomiting," Tyer said regarding a fellow inmate. "Every time I alerted an officer that she needed medical attention, they would walk straight by."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from former Fulton County jail inmates Amber Tyer and Connie Lott, who explained how they were treated during their recent incarceration, as well as a statement from the Fulton County Sheriff's Office.