PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A third inmate has died at Women's Huron Valley Prison, deepening concerns about conditions, medical care and practices at Michigan's only women's prison.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report:
Ashley Hoath was transferred from the prison's health care unit to Trinity Health Hospital early Saturday morning. Just hours later, prison officials were told she had died. Hoath was serving a sentence for second-degree murder at the time of her death.
Her 18-year-old daughter, Anala, learned of her mother's death by phone. We are not using Anala's last name for privacy reasons.
"They're like, your aunt Jolene called. They found your mom this morning and my heart just dropped. I just kept saying no, no, no, like she's OK, she's OK, like she's not gone... no, no, no," Anala said.
Anala says other inmates had been asking guards for help for hours before her mother was taken to the hospital.
"She had been in the bathroom a good portion of the day, so other inmates started getting really worried, were asking the guards, from my understanding, for like three hours… asking the guards please, help her, she's not OK, please get her some medical attention," Anala said.
"Only when my mother finally collapsed inside the prison did they finally take her to Trinity Hospital."
Previous coverage: Michigan lawmakers demand prison director resign
The Michigan Department of Corrections says an officer escorted Hoath to the health care unit after noticing she was ill, and medical staff then sent her by ambulance to the hospital.
Hoath's death is the third at the prison in three weeks. Rebecca Fackler died May 17. Khaira Howard died May 13 — weeks before she was to be paroled. The deaths come amid repeated claims of toxic mold at the facility and its impact on inmates, including Krystal Clark.
Previous coverage: Lawmakers and activists demand medical clemency for Michigan inmate exposed to black mold in prison
MDOC Director Heidi Washington addressed the deaths in a statement.
"We are working aggressively to investigate the circumstances that led up to Ms. Hoath being sent to the hospital… I can promise you that the community will have answers to what caused this death and the ones that preceded it," Washington said.
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell has been in contact with MDOC and state lawmakers. She sent a letter to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Monday morning.
"We need answers. Three deaths in two weeks is just not OK, and we need to know why — how quickly are people getting medical care, how many people aren't seeing a doctor as quickly as they can," Dingell said.
Inmate rights advocate Trische Duckworth is calling on Washington to step down.
"Ashley was crying out for help. She did not receive it. She was alone for hours. So this is again same thing happened to Rebecca Fackler, same thing happened to Kyra Howard. There is a consistent pattern of medical neglect here," Duckworth said.
"Are they inmates? Absolutely. But do they deserve those awful living conditions and to be neglected? Absolutely not. So to MDOC and Heidi Washington, and to the governor — you need to fix it," Anala said.
MDOC says its investigation into the deaths includes a mortality review, an autopsy by an independent medical examiner and an administrative review to determine whether prison officials followed state policies before the inmates died.
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