In the United States, a seven months pregnant prison guard with contracting pains was not fired by the supervisors and the story had a tragic end.
A lawsuit filed by a corrections officer against the state of Texas in the United States has raised an argument: an unborn child would have legal rights, so “as a person”? The court battle was fought after Salia Issa’s baby was born lifeless, as the woman was prevented from leaving work to get to the hospital on time.
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According to the newspaper The Texas Tribuneit all started one night in November 2021. The pregnant woman had just started her shift when she felt an intense pain that she believed to be a contraction. Salia was seven months pregnant and warned his supervisors that he had to go to the emergency room. Prison rules, however, didn’t allow her to resign until someone could replace her. Hours passed without anyone arriving.
The woman kept calling for help and, according to Salia, the officer who was her superior at the time said so he just wanted to go home. The pregnant woman was only allowed to leave the unit two and a half hours after the pain began. She went to a nearby hospital and was rushed into emergency surgery. Sadly, the baby didn’t survive.. Local doctors said that if the mother had arrived earlier, this would not have happened.
A year after the incident, the prison guard and her husband sued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and three of the guard supervisors. The family argued that the state caused the child’s death and violated the US constitution..
The girl’s right to life and physical integrity would have been violated – in addition to the fact that the supervisors violated Salia’s fundamental rights, discriminating against the woman in relation to sex and pregnancy. TDCJ officials also allegedly violated the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which gives a mother the right to take emergency leave to care for her children.
As posted by The Texas Tribunethe corrections agency, along with the Texas attorney general’s office, said they were not held responsible for the miscarriage, as “it is unclear whether the child had any rights as a person.” The argument is that the pregnant woman was only asking permission to take care of herself, not a child. “Despite decisions that led to tragic consequences and supervisory conduct that was harsh to the point of rudeness, the allegations do not prove that the agency or its employees violated the law,” the statement read.
The lawsuit notes that there were at least three officers available to replace Salia at the time, and that supervisors ordered her to stay in the prison office. However, the nurse on duty would not be called to assist her.
US Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower last week recommended that the case remain ongoing, at least in part. She suggested that the judge accept complaints involving discriminatory treatment and that “the request to leave work to go to the hospital was reasonable”. However, she asked the court to follow the case without considering whether the fetus is considered a person with legal rights or not.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
