AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Middle River Regional Jail officials said 401 of the more than 800 inmates at its facility have tested positive for coronavirus. In addition, 69 staffers tested positive, too.
“The virus is not messing around. It is killing people, actually. Just because they are in there, they shouldn’t be put at risk of getting infected, if they are not,” said a concerned family member to WHSV..
“It’s just unreal, it is hard enough being out and imagine being in there with no resources at all. What can we expect, to get a call saying they are sick and there is nothing we can do about it?” said another.
Community organizers have planned a peaceful protest on Saturday in efforts to bring awareness to the treatment of the inmates during the outbreak.
“We want the localities to actually do something we are not just getting up there and saying that. We said there needs to be more PPE There needs to be more gloves, there need to be more masks, there need to be more sanitizers,” Andrea Jackson one of the organizers of the protest, explained.
The protest is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Middle River Regional Jail.
Jackson said that they ask for people to stay in their cars to adhere to social distancing guidelines but plan to give them an opportunity to speak out.
“Every life is precious,” Jackson said. “I think this an area that people tend to forget about because they are not connected to it.”
Chanda McGuffin and Jennifer Lewis are also helping to organize the event. Jackson said that she thought of the Bible verse, Mathew 25:34-40 when deciding to participate in the event.
“I’m not one to judge. Just because you are in jail does not mean you should not be treated like a human being. You should be treated decently and with care,” Jackson explained.
Jackson said anyone seeking more information on the protest can reach her by email at: miss.andrea.n.jackson@gmail.com.
Middle River Regional Jail officials said that they were aware of the protest and released the following statement on Friday night:
The Middle River Regional Jail Authority (MRRJA) is aware of the scheduled community event for December 19, 2020. MRRJA has been transparent with the community since the beginning of the current National Health Crisis (COVID-19) by communicating efforts to control the introduction of the virus to the facility and to reduce the jail population.
- As early as March 2020, MRRJ staff worked closely with the area Commonwealth Attorneys, Defense Attorneys (Public Defender), and the Court to either release, furlough or move to Home Electronic Monitoring appropriate offenders as determined by the Court. Those efforts continue.
- MRRJA does not have any authority to unilaterally release an offender early. MRRJA also does not control who or how many offenders are placed in MRRJA custody. The decision as to whether an offender is placed in MRRJA custody is made by Law Enforcement, the Commonwealth Attorney and the Court.
- MRRJA has over 300 offenders that belong in the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC).
- MRRJA does not determine who or when any offender is transferred to the VADOC.
- MRRJA Staff do not calculate the release date of any offender that belongs in the VADOC that is the responsibility of the VADOC staff.
- Whether an offender that belongs in the VADOC is eligible for early release is the responsibility of the VADOC to determine.
- The VADOC stopped transferring offenders from local and regional jails in March 2020. The VADOC did not restarted transferring offenders to VADOC until September 2020.
- MRRJA has only transferred 16 male and 5 female offenders to VADOC since September 2020.
- MRRJA has not transferred any offender to VADOC since November 5, 2020.
- MRRJA custody, medical and mental health staff work diligently to ensure the health and safety of citizens placed in our custody. As previously reported, of the 401 offenders that have tested positive for COVID-19 only one offender has been hospitalized and that offender has subsequently been discharged from the hospital. From the beginning of this National Health Crisis MRRJA Staff have coordinated with Dr. Kornegay, Health Director, at Virginia Department of Health.
- MRRJA will continue to keep the community informed to the best of our ability.
Copyright 2020 WHSV. All rights reserved.
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December 19, 2020 at 07:30AM
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Peaceful protest planned at Middle River Regional Jail over COVID-19 outbreak - WHSV
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