"Troubling account:" Woman alleges childbirth in Johnson County Jail and claims inadequate medical attention

In a shocking turn of events, Victoria Boldon, a 27-year-old inmate, gave birth in her cell at the Johnson County Jail on Wednesday. Boldon claims she was denied proper medical care by jail staff for two days before her labor began.

Boldon was serving a 30-day sentence for failure to complete community service, a condition of a previous charge. She was sentenced to five years probation in 2021 for possession of a controlled substance less than four grams and possession of a controlled substance less than one gram.

According to Boldon, her water broke in her cell, and her baby was born in just two pushes. However, she said she had already lost about a liter of blood by the time an ambulance arrived, which she claims was around 20 minutes after she gave birth.

Boldon claims she asked for medical assistance for two days prior to giving birth but was denied until the day of. Jail staff initially refused to transport her to a hospital when she tried to tell them she was going into labor.

Several jail staff, including two medical staff, were present in Boldon's cell when her water broke. A witness reported that Boldon began groaning around 11:15 p.m. on Tuesday, and around 12:10 a.m., they heard Boldon screaming in pain and doing breathing exercises with a guard. A nurse allegedly told Boldon what she was experiencing, "aren't contractions," the witness said.

Staff loaded Boldon onto a rolling stretcher bed and transported her out of the jail. Other women in surrounding cells yelled, "we got a baby!" after Boldon gave birth.

Unfortunately, Boldon's baby is currently in a neonatal intensive care unit due to fluid entering his lungs during birth. This is a common complication for babies born prematurely, which Boldon's baby was, given the circumstances.

KERA News has also spoken to multiple people inside the jail who witnessed the birth. It is reported that this is at least the second baby born in Johnson County Jail since 2018. The previous birth in 2018 resulted in the baby not surviving.

The responsible authority for this incident is the Johnson County Jail administration or the relevant medical records department within the Johnson County Jail. KERA News has asked the jail and Johnson County's Sheriff's Office about instances of people giving birth in the jail, protocols for pregnant inmates, and whether jail staff assisted Boldon when she complained of contractions.

This incident raises serious concerns about the care and treatment of pregnant inmates in Johnson County Jail. KERA News will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.