Tuscaloosa Woman Jailed Since June for Infant’s Death Gave Birth Shortly Before She Died in Jail Last Week
A Tuscaloosa woman who died in the County Jail last week had been held without bond while pregnant and gave birth shortly before her death, according to a person close to her family.
Law enforcement officials confirmed the woman was Jakeisa Knox, 29, who had been jailed since June after her 9-month-old son was found dead.
Captain Marty Sellers, co-commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, said Knox was being treated for a medical issue at the jail around 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, when she became unresponsive. Jail staff rendered aid on site, Sellers said, and Knox was taken to a local hospital, where she died.
The VCU routinely investigates deaths in custody at the jail, which is run by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials with the VCU and the sheriff’s office declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation, except to say there were no signs of foul play or self-harm. Autopsy results from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences are pending, and her cause of death has not been released.
Pregnant When Arrested, Bond Denied
According to a release from VCU Commander Captain Jack Kennedy at the time, the boy had numerous physical injuries, was severely underweight and showed signs of malnourishment. On the day he died, police allege Knox was working as a delivery driver and left the infant alone for eight hours before finding him unresponsive.
Though it went unreported at the time, Knox was far along in another pregnancy at the time of her arrest.
In July, District Judge Joanne M. Jannik ordered Knox held without bond under Aniah’s Law, the constitutional amendment that allows judges to deny bail to people charged with certain serious felonies.
In the order denying bond, Jannik noted Knox was six months pregnant at the time. Still, prosecutors argued she was a danger to herself and to her unborn child, while her attorneys argued she had no criminal record and was neither a danger nor a flight risk.
After Jannik denied bond, Knox remained in jail from the time of her arrest until her death, except a short time at a local hospital to deliver her baby,
The pregnancy was noted in the court order but was not part of the initial reporting on Knox’s arrest, including the Thread’s.
The person close to the family, who asked not to be named, said Knox was returned to jail about two days after she gave birth, and died just days later after having complained to jail staff and family of chest pains.
A jail spokesperson said they could not confirm those details because of the ongoing investigation.
“I get it. I can’t say I’m too mad when it comes to jail staffing, because you get people in there who fake illness all the time,” the source said. “But what should have been considered was the fact that this woman had just given birth not even 48 hours earlier and she was complaining of pain.”
A Tuscaloosa County grand jury indicted Knox on September 30 on one count of aggravated child abuse of a child under 6, a Class A felony, alleging she caused her son severe malnutrition and dehydration that resulted in his death.
The indictment was filed in circuit court, where her guilt or innocence would have been decided, on October 9 - three days after her death.
Missing Medical Ward?
The spokesperson for Knox's family also said it is their understanding the jail does not currently have an on-site medical ward.
A representative for the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office said they could not respond to that allegation or answer any questions about the case because of an ongoing investigation into her death.
The family spokesperson said they were heartbroken earlier this year to read comments on social media calling for Knox's death when she was arrested, and that a pregnant woman deserved better care.
“Why couldn’t she at least be somewhere safe when she was full term?” the source close to the family said. “She could have been placed somewhere with medical care. At the very least, she could have been given the right to stay alive long enough to be proven guilty or innocent."
While TCSO runs the county jail, it is funded by the Tuscaloosa County Commission. Probate Judge Rob Robertson, who chairs the commission, confirmed to the Thread that extensive upgrades are still underway at the jail, and should be fully completed and "online" early next year.
While Judge Robertson said he did not know which specific jail facilities have been closed during renovations and for how long, he was clear that the county contracts medical staff to care for inmates 24/7, and that has not been interrupted during the renovations to the jail.
Knox's family is still raising funds for her burial later this week.
For more exclusive coverage of crime and courts in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.
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Gallery Credit: (Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
