‘I Felt Like I Was Made to Give Birth Like an Animal’

A lawsuit alleges that a jail’s negligence and mistreatment led to a woman giving birth alone in her cell, assisted only by fellow inmates.

The Incident

Tiffany McElroy went into preterm labor while incarcerated at a jail. A guard took her to the medical clinic, but the on-call nurse did not send her to the hospital. Instead, she was given a diaper and a clean jumpsuit and sent back to her pod.

As the day progressed, McElroy struggled to walk. When contractions were about three minutes apart, another inmate asked a guard to call 911. The lawsuit alleges a supervisor instructed a guard not to intervene, saying the jail could be held accountable.

“At the end of the day, I felt like I was made to give birth like an animal.”
— Tiffany McElroy

The Birth and Its Aftermath

McElroy's pod mates assisted in delivering the baby. During and after the birth, staff members allegedly berated other inmates for helping. One guard used a disability slur and called an inmate “stupid”; another guard threatened to “tase” an inmate. The jail later punished the women for assisting.

McElroy was unable to deliver the placenta. Paramedics took her to the hospital. She was diagnosed with anemia from blood loss. Her daughter was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. McElroy remained hospitalized for three days.

Youngblood told NBC News that McElroy's screams could be heard throughout the jail.

Legal and Broader Reactions

The lawsuit asserts staff negligence and mistreatment. Thompson of Pregnancy Justice described the experience as “particularly egregious.”

“No one should be forced to either go through that scenario as someone who is laboring, and no one should be forced to become a midwife out of necessity like this.”
— Thompson, Pregnancy Justice

Where Are They Now?

McElroy's daughter is now nearly 2 years old. The child's paternal grandmother has temporary custody. McElroy works in the hospitality industry.