Attorneys Say Attack By Female Inmates Led To Death Of 26-Year-Old Madison Deal; Say CCA Did Not Provide Adequate Medical Care

  • Monday, August 22, 2016
Madison Bailee Deal
Madison Bailee Deal

Attorneys Tom O'Neal and Bryan Hoss said Monday that 26-year-old Madison Deal's death was caused by an attack by female inmates at the county workhouse and by inadequate medical care by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).

District Attorney Neal Pinkston has asked for an investigation by the Sheriff's Office into the death of Ms. Deal.

A spokesperson for the sheriff said a preliminary autopsy found the death was related to a medical problem and did not involve "physical trauma."

The attorneys said, "On Wednesday, Aug. 10, Madison Deal, 26, of Chattanooga, turned herself into the Hamilton County Jail for a misdemeanor citation. Because she had failed to do three public work days, she was sent to CCA Silverdale.

"Two days later, on Friday, Madison was attacked by other inmates in her cell, all subject to video camera surveillance. Silverdale had actual knowledge of this attack because it was on video and because Silverdale segregated the attackers.

"Madison spoke to her mother, Lee Anne, via video conference on both Saturday and Monday. Madison reported that she told Silverdale of the attack and sought medical treatment at Silverdale. Madison said she told nurses at Silverdale that she was vomiting, had tightness in her chest and severe head pain.

"According to her mother, her condition worsened. After Madison's worsening condition on Monday, and hearing from Madison that the nurses at Silverdale were not treating her, Lee Anne Deal called Silverdale and pleaded with officials to give her daughter proper medical care. According to Lee Anne, the nurse at Silverdale hung up on her.

"Madison's grandmother, Norma O'Neal, who is an RN, also called Silverdale and made similar pleas. The nurse at Silverdale also hung up on Ms. O'Neal.

"Madison Deal's court date was scheduled for Wednesday in Hamilton County General Sessions Court. As her attorneys, we expected that she would be released on that day. However, the family learned that on Tuesday, Madison collapsed while at Silverdale and she was taken at some point to Erlanger. Tragically, she died at approximately 5 a.m. on Thursday.

"Madison senseless death is the responsibility of the officials at Silverdale. Silverdale was grossly negligent in providing adequate, timely medical care in waiting three days to provide care and send her to the hospital.

"The family immediately reached out to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department and the Hamilton County District Attorney's office. Both agencies quickly assigned this case to the appropriate investigators.

"The family of Madison Deal has many questions for CCA Silverdale in the treatment of Madison. What care did they provide to Madison Deal? Why wasn't she transferred to Erlanger or another hospital earlier? Why didn't she see a doctor sooner? Why did they ignore her obvious medical condition? Why did they ignore the family's pleas on Monday?

"On August 18th, The Tennessean reported that the Department of Justice was terminating its contract with the Corrections Corporation of America. Citing an August report from the Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. government found that 'the privately-run prisons had more safety and security incidents per capita than those run by the Bureau of Prisons. CCA prisons had the highest rates of fights and inmate-on-inmate assaults.'

"CCA Silverdale has an obligation to ensure that their inmates receive adequate medical care and treatment. They cannot be deliberately indifferent to the obvious needs of an inmate who is suffering and reports her complaints to them. Just because Madison did not do public work days and had a misdemeanor charge does not give Silverdale the right to give her sub-standard medical care and ignore obvious signs of trauma.

"We hope that a full investigation by an outside agency will uncover what actually happened and that Madison Deal's death will not be swept under a rug."

CCA officials said, "A brief and minor altercation occurred at Silverdale Detention Facility on Aug. 12. No inmates required medical attention and no inmates were transported to the hospital as a result of this altercation. CCA has been and will continue to work closely with our government partner and Hamilton County Sheriff's Office as this investigation progresses."

 

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