In case you missed it, the Racine County Sheriff's Department held a press conference Tuesday alleging that the mother, Melissa Woten, may have intentionally caused herself to deliver a baby in her jail cell. If true, it would contradict Woten's claims that she called for help, but was ignored.
But the JT tracked down Wolten's attorney, who is sticking with the original story that jail officials ignored Woten's labor pains, which resulted in the premature birth.
Here are two documents the Sheriff's Department released Tuesday:
- The Racine County Sheriff's Department's
investigation of the circumstances(Note: The original report we posted was missing two pages. The Sheriff's Department provided the full report today.) surrounding Woten going into premature labor, which led to the death of her daughter. - The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department one-page letter clearing jail officials of wrongdoing.
The answer: She was given a suspended jail sentence on Sept. 12, 2007 for obstructing an officer after stealing $438 worth of items from Kohl's Department Store. She gave the officer a false name, according to court records.
Woten did not meet any of the conditions of her parole, including maintaining a stable residence, getting a job, paying toward her financial debts, and working toward a high school equivalency diploma or other treated. She also lied to her probation officer, according to court records.
Judge Richard Kruel sentenced her to nine months in jail. She started serving the sentence on Jan. 9, 2009.
The Sheriff's Department also released photos and video of Woten in her jail cell during the night before her baby's death. The grainy, dark video shows Woten doing headstands in her cell.
If you want to see the video, checkout the JT site here. They also have one of the photos distributed by the Sheriff's Department here.
I have been knowing the Sheriff for a number of years and have regarded him to be a fine man, but this time Bob you have totally blew it. At this time is your opportunity to improve upon the conditions in the jail, not cover up laziness and unresponsive behavior on the part of your staff. If you are going to tell the story tell the whole truth. The money that it going to cost this county did not have to happen. You can make every effort to demonize the young lady but the proof is already there. medical staff did not do their job. There at the jail at present you rely on fellow prisonerts to do your work for you. A baby died and there is no concern, not even banjo playing Tony Larsen showed any compassion.If I am her attorney start with a Million, and the reason is that it is bad enough that this happened in the jail, you have the Sheriff and the DA slandering her.check your staff Bob because it is going to happen again because nobody has learned from it. Keep kickingf dirt on the young lady. Maybe your indecretions need to come out to put your character and integrity in question. TELL THE WHOLE STORY!!!!! Knock off the political posturing, it is just not right!!!
ReplyDeletethere are supposed to be 4 pages of the investigation, why are there only 2 posted? page 1 and 3 are there, where's 2 and 4?
ReplyDeleteThe guards are worthless and therer are some people that will assist this young lady to tell her story. Sheriff you need to come clean.
ReplyDeletefrom the comments people are stating on the JT side, the Sheriff is a saint and can do no wrong, I have a feeling in the end, it will be otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question about the page numbers. I don't have an immediate answer, other than to say I scanned what was given to us.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good question and where are the particulars of the investigation by the Kenosha County Sheriff. If our news reporting sources are afraid to report, how are we going to get the truth as opposed to one side. It is not adding up. If a young lady is bleeding or anyone for that matter when are they allowed to seek medical attention. Come on Dustin do some digging or is the institution of the County Jail just a little too big.
ReplyDeletedarn sometimes it pays to read everything! I am getting nailed left and right on the JT just for questioning things..... gonna be interesting
ReplyDeleteDustin I'll buy you lunch if you can figure out where the other 2 pages are and why there were given out. Maybe an honest mistake, but if I was trying to clear people I'd make sure they had all of it!
ReplyDeleteClean up your jail Bob because it would be a shame if another report came forth in the middle of this one.I am loosing respect for the Sheriff because he knows that these guards and medical staff is and will continue to be in the wrong unless they are stopped and corrected. When you sanction this behavior Bob you are just as wrong as they are. Tell the truth and get rid of the responsible parties.
ReplyDeleteholding my breath, well no i'm not i may turn blue before we find the 2 pages, but I can't wait for those to pop up
ReplyDeleteKenosha cleared Racine in a 1 page letter of any "criminal" wrong doing. What about civil and civil rights?
ReplyDeleteI do not think this woman deserves $12.00 little alone a million. She got herself pregnant, went shoplifting, didn't follow any of the orders to get her life together and stop being a drudge on society. Now we should reward her? The baby was frail. I doubt that baby ever had a chance. Was the baby tested for drugs? It is like someone roller skating through a store. If they fall should they be allowed to sue? I don't work for the jail. But I do pay taxes. The tax payers should not be given this burden. Investigat take action if necessary but monetary rewards. No WAY!
ReplyDeleteLt. Klatt from the Sheriff's Department just sent over the entire four-page report. There's a link to the report in the story.
ReplyDeleteThank you dustin!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else wonder why this woman was allowed to do headstands in her cell? Wouldn't a guard actually watching the cameras see this and perhaps check into why a pregnant woman would be doing headstands? I can see that the quality of the tape is bad - which then leads me to ask what else happens in the cells that goes undetected? Clearly no one is actually watching them and the tape is only created to protect the guards if something goes wrong.
ReplyDeleteI for one know first hand that condition in the jail are very bad as well and guards (which sometimes leave their post to take breaks or turn the lights off and take naps). However, just becasue this girl is pregnant does not make her a saint or not capable of causing the death of her baby. You get these inmates off camera and they act and talk like real trash, but give them a lawyer, a camera, or a reporter and they cry rivers and act innocent.
ReplyDeleteTell me the difference between jailing a pregnant 20-year-old for shoplifting and jailing a 20-year-old mother for shoplifting, along with her babe in her arms. We wouldn't do that. Why do we put an expectant mother and an unborn child in a jail that's patently unequipped to deal with such a situation? Shouldn't a judge decide, rather, to admit both to custody in a facility that at least has a maternity ward? In the alternative, given the record of the county jail, shouldn't a sheriff simply refuse to accept prisoners and their unborn children into his jail? That would be taking a real, principled stand!
ReplyDeleteI think the news outlets in Racine should also publish her lengthy criminal past.
ReplyDeleteSheriff Carlson and his staff did everything right. You can't prevent nuts from doing crazy things like this all the time. People are accountable for their own actions.
I would hope that this poor excuse for a mother is charged with 1st degree murder.
I think she is going to get plenty out of this little episode. I don't think she deserves it tho. But she played her cards right. I know for a fact that the medical assistance in the jail is almost non existant. Therein lies the tale.
ReplyDelete... even if you choose to condemn the mother, her unborn baby is innocent. Should her shoplifting charge carry a death penalty for the baby?
ReplyDeleteThe only person responsible for the innocent baby's death is the mother. Ms. Woten is what I consider to be a "serial killer" as she killed her previous child by taking illegal drugs and now murdered this child with her irresponsible actions. Put her in a jail cell and throw away the key!
ReplyDeleteIt does not suprise me that you have people that work for this Jail adding spin and name calling and adding insult to injury. Let us deal with the integrity of the personnel in the jail. The detective reported talking to a person or witness by the name Ray Bergerron.Not only go to CCAP on this individual and you will find out the Sheriff Department is grasping for straws. Ask the Sheriff is this the same person that is urinating in the vents causing an unhealthy situation for not just Ms Woten, but for everybody in the jail. I would rather for Sheriff Carlson to admit the wrong and not risk his credibility and integrity. I do know that it is tradditionally the rule to deny any claim, but any investigator worth anything would and should know that this investigation does not pass the smell test or laugh test. I just personally do not appreciate the name calling which adds to the guilt of the county. We are going to deal with the facts and we are not going to call names, but our investigation will reveal the facts of this one and others. WARNING Bob get your house in order because I can tell you that a Federal Investigation is coming down for violation of the young lady's civil rights, wrongful death, retaliation and harassment among other charges. Tell the story Bob. Tell the Story(truthfully).
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:47 - How can you still blame the Sheriff and his staff? They have the entire incident on video tape! She has also killed before! Are you crazy like her?
ReplyDeleteYou also question the background of one of the witnesses. Of course he's an idiot and has a record - thats why he is in jail like your baby killer friend Woten! That is exactly why they are all in jail in the first place. You aren't going to find any model citizens there. Duh! Its unfortunate stupidity isn't a crime or you would be locked up too.
Once again name calling coming from the spin machine of the jail. Do not blame us if the Sheriff Department chose a Ray- Ray to justify your position on this grievous matter. Ray Ray the same one that is threatening to do harm to the JUDGE. I am going to say this again, make positive correctiopns and grow from this situation. I know you work for the jail because you speak just like them and everybody should take note. Decency is not in the realm of your position. Do we need to since you want to cast stone deal with the Sheriff's indiscretions at Ridgewood as a credibility issue. Quit the name calling and admit that the jail needs reform. That will be the recommendation to the county board.If the Sheriff wanted to do the right thing he would not even want the inpropriety of wrong doing.
ReplyDeleteI am seriously questioning anything that the inmates said against Mr. Woten (not that she's a perfect upstanding community role model)but everyone knows that if an inmate thinks he/she will get better treatment or any type of special deals, they will lie thru their teeth. It's also very well known and I wish the media would interview ALL inmates down there that if a family speaks out agains the conditions of the jail, that inmate is treated harsher. Come on Justin, you could really blow the lid of this, talk to all the inmates there and their families too (I know alot) but everyone would be flabbergasted. No, prison isn't supposed to be a county club or everyone would be trying to get in, but basic human rights are in question down there
ReplyDeleteI have a question, to protect all involved in the future (inmates and the county) use the electronic house arrest program for pregnant females. They are not allowed to leave their house, etc, monitored very closely and that would be beneficial for everyone involved. They do it with other inmates, why not making it SOP for pregnant inmates.
ReplyDeletesorry dustin not justin, OMG big typo
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:03 - No, I do not work for the jail or have any affiliation to anyone that does. I am sick and tired of paying for trash like Ms. Woten to have child after child, support her life of crime, and then payout for her frivilous lawsuits.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of who this "Ray" is or what the Sheriff even says, the video tape is 100% proof of what happened. I didn't think anyone could argue video evidence, but apparently there are idiots out there that would even argue what is right in their face.
The jail is perfectly fine. County jails are not meant to be country clubs and offer swimming pools, 24 hour room service, dry cleaning, etc like a hotel. IT IS A PLACE FOR THE TRASH OF SOCIETY!
The only human rights that were violated were the unborn child's and Ms. Woten is the one to blame. I demand to see murder charges filed against her for this death and her previous child's death. We do not need her killing anymore children. I don't want to see her face outside of those prison walls.
The electronic house arrest program would unfaily discriminate against pregnant inmates. They are entitled to share in the same prison experience as everyone else. Why would you want to deny of them of that? They earned that stay in a cell by committing their crimes.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it but anyone who starts their commentary with "I have been knowing the Sheriff" probably does not have much to add.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a good idea to offer house arrest to pregnant women. But I think it will be abused. I think criminal women will try to get knocked up to avoid jail time. Also, what then? Do we lock them up after they give birth and have a new born. I think we are opening ourselves up for many more problems. Look what giving people the insanity defense did.. Will the inmates slimey lawyer stop posting on here? Lawyers need regulation. They charge outrageous amounts for filling out the same legal forms. They are highly overpaid, We need a legal system overhaul where Joe public could easily understand the law and could represent himself as the constitution intended. It makes no sense for someone to be blinded in an accident and the lawyer gets the same amount of reward as the client. They weren't blinded. No wonder this country is in trouble.
ReplyDeleteActually the house arrest program might be something to look into. Not that any light bulbs will go off on the county. They currently have the alternatives to incarceration program. They have to pay some type of fee for the ankle bracelt (becker is running around with one on). I am not saying violent offenders but there are those in the commnity that are on this program. I am not saying this program will work for everyone, will some try to abuse it, possibly, everyone tries to abuse the legal system anyways. But in the end the woman will be at home, accesible to healthcare (insurance, public aid) no delays in possible care and then noone can accuse the county, jailers, madical staff of any wrong doing. And it would only be allowed for women when they are originally arrested, not if they get knocked up while out on bail, etc... That might prove to be a deterent to someone getting some idiotic idea of getting pregnant during everything to stay out.
ReplyDeleteSo just becasue she got knocked up, she can sit her butt on the couch and watch TV? There are people selling crack from thier porches with the bracelet on. If anything to protect the baby, maybe push out the jail time and when the baby comes, it is turned over to family or foster care and she'll do her time.
ReplyDeleteEnough with this coddling crap. There are some real losers in this town especially pregnant girls and women. Like the ones that crawl out from Jacoto Drive to use thier assistance money to swipe thier cards and buy garbage.
Criminals are criminals. I think the judges and our laws are lenient enough. We need to trust that sentencing laws are fair. If someone is pregnant and a drudge on society we need to have justice. They need jail time. We cannot allow this person to continue to get knocked up over and over for benefits. Welfare & staying out of jail. Sounds harsh, well anyone who doesn't have a long record shouldn't get a harsh sentence. I trust the judges. We elect them.
ReplyDeleteBENEFITS! That's a sore subject with me now. I am employed, but underemployed at a contracting job with no benefits until I get back on my feet. Beleive me, I am looking hard! I have a family to support and according to the state, I make like 13k too much to get medical assistance. I went to the doctors office and they would not run tests becuase I did not have insurance. Nice to know the freeloader scum the get housing, utilities, and food, etc get take care of and I who actually PAY INTO THE SYSTEM get shafted. Where is my hand up when I need help unlike the other crap that expects a hand out for life....?
ReplyDeleteHey Leffler, an ambulance just went buy....its playing your tune!!!!!!
ReplyDelete