Prison authorities face scrutiny as they explain how an inmate's remains were discovered in a state prison, causing deep concern among the victim's family.
In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Sheqweetta Vaughan, a 32-year-old female inmate, was pronounced dead on July 9 at Lee Arrendale State Prison. The prison, located about 70 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, can house up to 1,476 inmates.
Vaughan was serving prison time for vehicular manslaughter in connection with the death of her 3-year-old son. Tragically, she had given birth to a baby boy in January before her death. The family does not know who the father is.
According to the coroner, Vaughan may have been dead for two to four hours before she arrived at her cell. Deputy Habersham County Coroner Dr. Kenneth Franklin was called to the prison at 11:08 a.m. on July 9 and arrived at Vaughan's cell at 12:10 p.m., pronouncing her dead at 12:13 p.m. The coroner reported a strong odor of decay coming from Vaughan's body.
The prison reported that Vaughan had been checked on at 10:08 a.m. before her death at 10:40 a.m. The temperature in the cellblock where Vaughan was found was in the 90s, and there was not a lot of ventilation.
Motherhood Beyond Bars, an advocacy group for inmates who are mothers, met Sheqweetta Vaughan in its childbirth education program. The group stated that they will continue to carry her message to other women, encouraging them that better days are ahead and they won't have to do it alone. They called Vaughan's death "preventable."
Vaughan was being treated for anxiety with buspirone and for a psychotic disorder with the medication Haloperidol. However, the exact cause of her death is still under investigation. The coroner's report did not specify a cause or manner of death, but it is awaiting autopsy and toxicology results and a review of medical records. The authority investigating Vaughan's death is the Homicide Unit of the Houston Police Department, and the results of the investigation are expected to be announced within several weeks.
The family has heard almost nothing from Georgia officials about Vaughan's cause of death. Vaughan's aunt, Rita Thomas, a registered nurse, insists her niece had been dead for at least two days. Tamecka Vaughan, Sheqweetta's sister, stated that she should have been under more stringent supervision due to her postpartum depression.
A representative for the Department of Corrections could not be immediately reached for comment on Wednesday.
This tragic event has sparked calls for improved care and supervision for pregnant inmates and those suffering from mental health issues in prisons across the United States.
