Over 20 people detained at the D.C. Central Cell Block were without air conditioning Friday through Monday when top temperatures ranged from 72 degrees to 88 degrees, the DCist reported Tuesday.
Individuals at the facility did not receive sufficient water or medical attention during the outage and two people allegedly suffered medical emergencies because of the heat, jail support organizer Miranda Rosenfelt said, according to the DCist. One woman allegedly suffered five seizures and a man had two heart attacks, according to Rosenfelt.
“The DC Department of Corrections (DOC) is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for the women and men in our care,” DOC Director Quincy Booth told the DCist. “We are aware of the HVAC issues at the Central Cell Block (located at Daly Building) and are working with the Department of General Services on completing repairs. In the interim, all residents will be moved to police district stations until the situation is resolved.”
I’ve talked earlier this afternoon with DOC Director & Dep Mayor. Repairs are underway at CCB on their HVAC & individuals are being moved to air conditioned locations. I saw some reports that DC Jail is without AC, but I’ve confirmed AC is working there. This outage is at CCB. https://t.co/NcAmxkJFHu
— Charles Allen (@charlesallen) June 14, 2021
A pregnant woman, Diamond Whiticker, was transferred to the facility after an incident involving her boyfriend Saturday night and was reportedly ignored when she asked for water, according to the DCist. She said she witnessed a woman seize multiple times in a neighboring cell.
“I was asking for water. I was telling them ‘I’m sweating bullets, I need cold water,’” Whiticker said, the DCist reported. “They were ignoring me. They were denying it. I was asking to go to the nurse because as you can imagine if you’re sitting in like 90-degree heat, especially with a month-and-a-half baby inside of you, he just started making my head pound.”
Community jail support organizer Yonah Bromberg Gaber said detainees reported the opposite problem during the winter months and would be too cold in their cells, the DCist reported.
The D.C. DOC did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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