Inmate gives birth in Rebibbia prison: Petralia, "Dap already at work for inmate-mothers out of prison"

"As head of the Penitentiary Administration, I can only be saddened by the fact that a woman had to give birth in prison. Fortunately, this is a story that ended without any critical issues and now both the mother and the baby are fine.". This was stated yesterday, in a note, by the Head of the Department of the Penitentiary Administration, Bernardo Petralia, commenting on the story of the young inmate who gave birth in the Rebibbia women's prison in Rome.

Following the first investigations immediately ordered by the Head of the DAP, it appears that the woman, in the institute since last June 23, on August 1 had presented a request for revocation or replacement of the precautionary measure. On 7 August, the Judicial Authority reserved the right to decide pending a report from the health department of the institute on the inmate's health conditions; request that was solicited again on 9 August. The following day, 10 August, the Health Area sent the report which was not followed by any other provision of the Judicial Authority. On August 18, the inmate was sent to the hospital for urgent checks, from which she returned to the institution on the same day.

"I would like to clarify that no responsibility can be placed on the penitentiary institution which has worked, within the limits of its responsibilities and competences, to speed up communications with the judicial and competent health authorities, in relation to the request for revocation. of the pre-trial detention made by the detainee”, Adds the Head of the DAP.

According to the first reconstructions, on the night between 30 and 31 August the inmate was in her room in the infirmary ward of the prison, assisted by the doctor and the nurse on duty. When the first pains appeared and the urgency of hospitalization was ascertained, the doctor would have gone away to contact the hospital and request the immediate intervention of an ambulance. Just at that juncture the inmate would have given birth.

"The DAP is taking steps to reduce the number of inmates-mothers in prison. Currently there are 11 in the nursery sections of prisons and in those with reduced custody and 13 minors present with them. As already anticipated by the Minister Cartabia, the Department is also working with the Pope John XXIII Community to be able to obtain for them a different and better accommodation outside the penitentiary structures".

Inmate gives birth in Rebibbia prison: Petralia, "Dap already at work for inmate-mothers out of prison"