Orlando, FL asked in Civil Rights for Florida

Q: My girlfriend is being starved in jail due to her allergies what can be done about this and who can we talk to?

Since she got in, it took her 6 weeks before being able to get an allergy tray but they still feed her food she is allergic to and she already told medical and had it documented too but every time she lets the guards know that she cannot eat it, they would scream at her and tell her to eat it anyway. She has asthma too due to the allergies and they refuse to give her breathing treatment too. She has to fight days to get the breathing treatment. They also aren’t delivering her mail. They said that they have but I haven’t received any in over 2 months. I would buy her books on Amazon but they don’t always deliver the books. I spoke with the lieutenant of the jail and would get the runarounds. She wrote grievances about it but they refuse to give her a copy of her grievances.

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1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
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Answered
  • Civil Rights Lawyer
  • Sacramento, CA

A: It sounds like your girlfriend is facing serious neglect in jail, and her health is being put at risk due to these conditions. First, you may want to contact a lawyer who has experience with civil rights or prisoner rights. They can help you take legal action against the jail for not providing proper medical care or food accommodations. Your girlfriend's allergies and asthma should be treated as serious medical issues, and denying her proper care or food could be considered cruel and inhumane.

In addition to legal assistance, you can try reaching out to local advocacy groups, such as those focused on prisoners' rights or civil liberties. These organizations may be able to help you file complaints or get her the help she needs. It's important to document everything, including conversations with jail officials, what she’s been given to eat, and her denied medical treatments.

Also, contacting higher authorities, like the state's Department of Corrections or a local government official, could put pressure on the jail to act. If they are mishandling mail or deliveries, it could be a violation of her rights, and these authorities may have the power to investigate or intervene.

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