CBS 11 Investigates: Woman Dies After Being Held Sick At Dawson State Jail For Days
DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - Shebaa Green, 50, would have celebrated a birthday this week. The 6'4" former athlete recorded herself for a YouTube video in March of 2011.
"I was born on November 28, 1961…," began Green.
She is telling family members that her health is declining, but her spirits are high.
"It's me. I am blessed and I'm doing well…"
But she says she is scheduled for dental surgery. The Dallas resident appears to be using the video as an opportunity to reach out to loved ones in other parts of the country and ask for money.
CBS 11 has now learned, more than a year and half after the video was shot, Green spent her last few days at Dawson State Jail.
Dawson is a state facility for low security inmates. It usually houses one-time offenders. Green was serving a sixth- month sentence for possession of a controlled substance.
State records, obtained by CBS 11, show Green had been sick for three days. The documents show "diarrhea X3" days. The incident report says she "complained of having trouble breathing" on August 9, 2012. Guards escorted her to the medical unit. The state heavily redacted the records we were provided so it is very difficult to fully understand exactly what happened next; however, CBS 11 has learned that many hours passed before Green was transported to the hospital.
According to the incident report, three hours after guards brought her to the medical unit, someone arrived to examine Green. She was "assessed with COPD, double breathing and diarrhea X3 days."
And then seven hours later, the documents show a doctor ordered a call to 9-1-1 because Green "had struggling aspirations and using accessory muscles."
An ambulance rushed Green to Parkland. She was admitted that night. And, she died the next day, August 10, 2012. The Medical Examiner tells CBS 11 Green's official cause of death was complications due to pneumonia.
CBS 11 has been investigating the medical care inside Dawson for months. We've already reported on three other questionable deaths. But, dozens of inmates, their family members and even former guards have told us there may have been many more.
In a past report, CBS 11 uncovered a case of an inmate who, like Green, also died of pneumonia. Her mother and brother told us the guards took too long to send her to the medical unit and get her transported to the hospital.
Dawson State jail is run by Corrections Corporation of America. CCA is a private company in Tennessee. We've repeatedly asked to sit down and talk to someone about these deaths and our on-going investigation but CCA has refused. The company sent us this statement instead.
"As we have previously noted, CCA is not the health care provider at the Dawson State Jail. Our dedicated, professional team here at Dawson State Jail is firmly committed to the health and safety of the inmates entrusted to our care. Although we are not the healthcare service provider, we take our role in the process of providing inmates access to care very seriously. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), in contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), provides the healthcare services at the facility, and our team works closely with our government partners to ensure inmates have access to that medical care." -Steven Owen, Senior Director of Public Affairs
The University of Texas Medical Branch would not provide us a comment for this investigation.
Click below to read additional CBS 11 Investigations regarding the Dawson State Jail:
- Mysterious Jail Death Raises Questions
- Another Family Blames Dawson State Jail For Inmate Death
- Premature Baby Born At Dawson Jail Without Medically Trained Personnel
- Guards Come Forward In Dawson Jail Investigation
Also Check Out:
